Samsung to Cap Note7 Battery Charging at 30% in UK as Verizon Pushes Back Against Bricking in the US

Following the announcement that all Galaxy Note7 devices in the United States will essentially be bricked through an upcoming software update, Samsung recently gave details on how it plans to address the exploding Note7 situation for users in the United Kingdom. The company won't go so far as to completely eliminate the ability to charge the Note7 in the U.K., but instead limit maximum battery charging capacity to 30 percent (via TechCrunch).

The update for users in the U.K. will hit December 15, four days before the update that will come to U.S. Note7 smartphones. Samsung said that it's "designed to further minimize customer risk and reinforce to customers to replace their device...as soon as possible." In the U.S., more than 93 percent of recalled Note7 devices have been returned, but worldwide there are still quite a handful of potentially harmful Note7 smartphones out in the wild, which has lead Samsung to take drastic measures with these software updates.

galaxy-note7

After the announcement of the U.S. software update last Friday, Verizon confirmed that it won't push the update to its Note7 customers "because of the added risk this could pose to Galaxy Note7 users that do not have another device to switch to." The carrier believes that while solving one problem, rendering the remaining Note7 smartphones useless could lead to even more emergency situations where the users are left without a way to contact help. Verizon also cited the need to keep in touch with family during the holidays as another reason it won't issue the update.

Today, Samsung announced an update to the Galaxy Note7 that would stop the smartphone from charging, rendering it useless unless attached to a power charger. Verizon will not be taking part in this update because of the added risk this could pose to Galaxy Note7 users that do not have another device to switch to. We will not push a software upgrade that will eliminate the ability for the Note7 to work as a mobile device in the heart of the holiday travel season. We do not want to make it impossible to contact family, first responders or medical professionals in an emergency situation.

Every other major U.S. carrier will support the December 19 update from Samsung, including Sprint, AT&T, and T-Mobile. The carriers will be rolling out the software update at different times, with T-Mobile on December 27, AT&T on January 5, and Sprint on January 8.

Tags: Samsung, Galaxy Note 7

Top Rated Comments

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Kajje

34 months ago

emergency situations where the users are left without a way to contact help

One needs to be able to call in the fire department when... oh... please ignore this comment.

Rating: 13 Votes

filmantopia

34 months ago

"because of the added risk this could pose to Galaxy Note7 users that do not have another device to switch to."

Added risk? Sounds like the only thing Verizon is worried about are subtracted profits.

Rating: 12 Votes

Kaibelf

34 months ago

Well, if someone gets hurt this one will be Verizon's lawsuit.

Rating: 10 Votes

jerry16

34 months ago

Verizon also cited the need to keep in touch with family during the holidays as another reason it won't issue the update.

Is that a joke?

Issue the update.

Rating: 10 Votes

nicho

34 months ago

I call BS.
If a forced OTA firmware update could have solved the issue this would have been done from day one.

do you actually understand what is happening here?

Rating: 8 Votes

Seansafc89

34 months ago

I can't even understand why anyone would still own one of the handsets. The recall process is relatively painless, and at no financial cost to the owner. Do people really think their own personal safety is not worth the slight inconvenience of returning a phone?

Rating: 7 Votes

Porco

34 months ago

In the future, what's to stop Samsung from bricking devices that are end of support? "Go buy a new phone, we don't support this one any longer and it's a security risk for it to remain active." Not that far fetched.

A huge customer backlash and a nosedive in future sales presumably? I think nearly everyone understands why they're bricking the Note7, because it's an actual physical danger to people and their property - if the user wants to run old insecure hardware (well, unsupported hardware with insecure software more likely), that is up to the user, and there are offline uses for these devices anyway, so I don't think everyone would be so understanding about it.

Rating: 6 Votes

69Mustang

34 months ago

So let me get this right?

If someone pays $800 for a device, you think that that it is OK for the seller to just "brick" it?

The reality is that most people do NOT have an issue with the phone. It is still just a small number that have a problem. A small percent of a millions makes for a lot of new stories but the risk at this point belongs to the person that spent the $800 and decided to keep it.

So let me get this "righter" for you. The percentage of defective devices relative to the total number of devices that were in the wild was completely unacceptable. The number of Note fires from such a limited amount of product,in such a short period time, pointed to an obvious and potentially dangerous problem.

Like them or not, Samsung is doing the right thing. For those who'd want to keep the Notes despite knowing the risks, some would say it's their right to do so. If they were only putting themselves at risk I'd say let 'em. They're dumb as hell, but let 'em. Unfortunately, they don't live on an isolated island of dumbassery where their decision only affects them. I'm not going to go all apocalypse hyperbole but an accidental fire from a Note would not discriminate in who gets hurt from it.

Besides, the $800 would be refunded. Customer doesn't lose their cash. They can use the money to buy something else. The reality is that most people do NOT have an issue with the phone. True. That's because most people were smart enough to return it for a refund.

Rating: 6 Votes

happyslayer

34 months ago

I'm sorry, but no. Just because someone spent $800 does not mean it's okay to keep it, especially when all parties (Samsung and carriers) are bending over backwards to replace it. It's a known potential exploding/fire danger to the person AND the people around them if he/she keeps it and it has a problem. They should replace it, period. Or, it gets bricked.

Rating: 6 Votes

m4rc

34 months ago

I'm not sure you understand the law very well.

If YOU spent $600 for a phone (I don't recall the actual price) and you had no problems with it, you'd be OK with someone else just bricking it? Most of the phone sold didn't have a problem and it's not like the bricked phone owner receive compensation automatically.

Also, Verizon is right, a lot of people only have a mobile phone. If someone is in a remote area, has an emergency and their phone doesn't work at is 100% Verizon's fault. No jury will think kindly of Verizon, including half the people whinning now on this board.

I thought the US has a product recall legislation for when a product is dangerous - basically you don't have a right to keep it and not give it back. Nobody is losing anything, you give up a potentially dangerous product that will not be supported with OS updates and now can't go upon 30% of charge and in return you get a phone you can use safely and are allowed to take on an aeroplane.

Saying otherwise is just being stubborn and argumentative for those who like to shout 'I know my rights' several times a day. It's the way it is, the product isn't fit for purpose and they will replace it with one that is, that seems more than fair, why would anyone want to keep one of these around their home? Especially if they have children, it's negligent at best.

Rating: 4 Votes

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