Galaxy Note 7: Samsung sets date for sales to begin again in Europe
The Samsung Galaxy Note 7: 57 percent of existing devices have now been exchanged, Samsung has revealed.
Over half of the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 smartphones in Europe have been replaced in the first week since the company launched an exchange programme for the devices.
Galaxy Note 10
The exchange programme was opened after Samsung decided earlier this month to stop sales and shipments of the 5.7-inch Note 7 phablet, following reports of some batteries overheating and catching fire.
Samsung confirmed that 57 percent of the handsets have now been swapped, and based on the current rate of product exchange, the programme in Europe is due to be completed by early October.
As a result, the Note 7 will go back on sale in Europe from 28 October "subject to a full completion of the exchange programme", Samsung said.
It added that since September 19, 90 percent of Galaxy Note 7 customers who have exchanged across Europe chose a replacement Galaxy Note 7, and three percent chose an alternative Samsung Galaxy smartphone.
The numbers in Europe are slightly lower than elsewhere. More than 60 percent of all recalled Galaxy Note 7 phones sold in the US and Korea have been exchanged through the program, and in Singapore, more than 80 percent of customers have participated in the exchange program, which started on September 17.
The company said owners of existing Galaxy Note 7 devices in Europe should power down their smartphone and exchange it through the programme.
David Lowes, chief marketing officer for Samsung Electronics Europe, said: "Our message of safety first is getting through to Galaxy Note 7 owners who are doing the right thing by exchanging for a new device quickly and safely."
Every Note 7 customer in Europe has received a series of safety messages from Samsung asking them to exchange, and a software update rolling out across Europe to all existing Note 7 devices has reset the maximum battery charge to 60 percent, which the company said should "reduce the risk of incidents" and would also encourage customers to replace their existing device with a new Note 7.
Read more on the Samsung Galaxy Note 7
- Exchanged Samsung Galaxy Note 7 phones face fresh battery complaints
- Samsung Galaxy Note 7 software update: More than just a green battery icon
- US government officially recalls 1 million Samsung Galaxy Note 7 phones
- Samsung Galaxy Note 7 recall issued: What's your next step?
- CNET: Samsung's Galaxy Note 7 recall makes progress in key markets
- TechRepublic: Samsung Galaxy Note7: What you need to know about the recall