BATTERY FIRES
Samsung to sell tweaked Note 7 phones
Samsung Electronics pulled the model from markets in 2016 because of fire-prone batteries
Seoul — Samsung Electronics plans to sell refurbished versions of the Galaxy Note 7 smartphones, the company said on Monday, signalling the return of the model pulled from markets in 2016 because of fire-prone batteries. Samsung’s Note 7s were permanently scrapped in October 2016 after some phones self-combusted, prompting a global recall roughly two months after the launch of the near-$900 devices. A subsequent investigation found manufacturing problems in batteries supplied by two companies — Samsung SDI and Amperex Technology. Analysis from Samsung and independent researchers found no other problems in the Note 7 devices except the batteries, raising speculation that Samsung will recoup some of its losses by selling refurbished Note 7s. However, Samsung’s announcement that revamped Note 7s will go back on sale surprised some with the timing — only days before it launches its new S8 smartphone on Wednesday in the US, its first new premium phone since the debacle in 2016. The compa...
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