Samsung Note 7s rendered 'useless' with new update

  • 10/12/2016
All Samsung Galaxy Note 7s will be rendered useless by the update (Getty)
All Samsung Galaxy Note 7s will be rendered useless by the update (Getty)

Samsung Electronics has announced they will release an update in the United States this month that will render all Galaxy Note 7 phones useless.  

Samsung says the disabling update will be released December 19, and will preventing the phones from charging and functioning as mobile phones.

The smartphone maker said that more than 93 percent of all recalled Galaxy Note 7 devices had been returned as a part of its exchange program in the United States.

This is a last-ditch attempt to get those left in the hands of the public.  

However, Verizon Communications said it would not take part in the update because of the added risk this could pose to Galaxy Note 7 users that do not have another device to switch to.

The Note 7 was recalled back in September after multiple reports of units that caught fire. Replacement units were quickly sent out, and those units were then quickly recalled in mid-October when it became apparent that they had the same problem.

Samsung New Zealand took action last month, disabling all Galaxy Note 7s from attaching to any New Zealand network.

A company spokesman said they stopped the phones from making calls, using data or send SMS messages “as customer safety is our number one priority”.

However in New Zealand Galaxy Note 7s are still able to operate as disconnected devices.

Newshub.