Fireproof box, gloves sent to Note 7 buyers

  • 13/10/2016
An exploded Samsung Note 7 (Newshub.)
An exploded Samsung Note 7 (Newshub.)

Samsung Electronics is sending fireproof packaging and gloves to customers who bought the Galaxy Note 7 phone on its website, so they can safely return the devices after a recall and reports that some replacement phones went up in flames.

"A device containing a lithium ion battery subject to a recall must be shipped in accordance with government regulations, and these special boxes are required by government regulations," the South Korean phonemaker said in a statement on Wednesday.

The company, which permanently halted production of its flagship Galaxy Note 7 smartphone on Tuesday, said it was also scheduling appointments with Note 7 users to pick-up the affected device.

Samsung halted production of the phone less than two months after its launch, following reports that in some instances their batteries caught fire.

Its decision to scrap the device after a recall of 2.5 million units last month was a blow to its brand image and financial outlook.

A YouTube video by Android developer news site XDA Developers, which said it received a "return kit" and instructions from Samsung, showed a fireproof box that is "forbidden for transport by aircraft" and gloves to handle the device.

The thermally insulated outer box that has ceramic fibre paper lining has two smaller boxes within it and a static shielding bag, the video showed.

Royal Mail, operator of Britain's main postal service, said on Wednesday it had banned the delivery Note 7 smartphones through its network for safety reasons, making it potentially difficult for many Britons to return the recalled devices.

Reuters