You might have heard that Samsung has issued a recall of the Galaxy Note 7. There’s a battery problem, caused by a “…very rare manufacturing process error”, resulting in some exploding phones. There’s a mass recall going on but you’re probably going to want to buy one of the corrected handsets at some point. The question is: How do you know whether your phone is safe to purchase?
Well, two ways, actually.
Samsung has announced a new packaging system that will give you an instant look at whether you’re getting a safe Note 7 or not. The packaging will carry a black square, as well as a white sticker with a blue letter S on it, if it’s part of the second wave of Note 7 devices. Obviously, if you’re missing these markers on the box then ask for a different Note 7.
If you’re still not convinced, then you’ll also be able to track your smartphone’s IMEI number via an online database that Samsung says will be up and running by tomorrow, 13 September. It will allow users to check their device’s IMEI number to see whether the possibly-explosive battery has been replaced or if the handset never shipped with the problem in the first place. This could be handy if you’re buying a Note 7 second-hand and the original packaging has gone missing somewhere along the line.
None of these measures matter much if you’re still hanging onto one of the initial Samsung Galaxy Note 7 handsets though. If you do happen to have one, Samsung really, really, really wants it back.
Source: Ars Technica
