(Read also: Samsung's quick fix for Note 7 is no full recharge) The other 30 percent are thought to have been supplied by Amperex Technology Ltd., a Chinese-based manufacturer that reportedly also is a main supplier of batteries for the iPhone. Chung, an analyst at Nomura Securities in Seoul, cited SDI officials in estimating that about 70 percent of the batteries for the Galaxy Note 7 smartphones came from SDI. The company also refused comment on South Korean media reports that it has stopped using batteries from Samsung SDI, one of its two suppliers, in the Note 7.Ĭ.W. Samsung has not recalled Note 7s sold in China, but the company has refused to say which of its two battery suppliers made the faulty batteries or clarify whose batteries are used in which Note 7 smartphones. In 2015, Samsung moved up its unveiling of its new Galaxy Note model to August from September, seeking a leg up on Apple's September iPhone upgrades.īefore the issue of battery explosions emerged, supplies were not keeping pace with demand for the Note 7. Time also is a factor in marketing and making the phones. "But it does not appear to be a simple battery problem." "If Koh's argument is right, that makes Samsung SDI a third-rate company," Park said. Samsung and other experts should search for factors outside the battery cells that could have led to overheating, he said. That kind of manufacturing error is unimaginable for top-notch battery makers with adequate quality controls, said Park Chul Wan, a former director of the next generation battery research center at the state-owned Korea Electronics Technology Institute. The end of the pouch-shaped battery cell had some flaws that increased the chance of stress or overheating, he explained. 2 that an investigation turned up a "tiny error" in the manufacturing process for the faulty batteries in the Note 7s that was very difficult to identify. Koh Dong-jin, Samsung's mobile president, said in announcing the recall on Sept. On Monday, Canada issued an official recall. But all that power comes at a price: users began reporting the phones were catching fire or exploding, in one case incinerating the SUV it had been left in.Īviation authorities in the U.S., Australia and Europe have urged passengers not to use or charge Note 7s while flying and not to put them in checked baggage.
The Note 7 debuted to rave reviews in August thanks to its speed, new software features and - not least - the estimated nine hours it would run between charges. But it is urging owners to keep the phones turned off until they can get them replaced, beginning Sept.
It plans a software update that will cap battery recharging at 60 percent capacity to help minimize risks of overheating. 2, Samsung confirmed dozens of cases where Note 7 batteries caught fire or exploded, mostly while charging.
Samsung's recall of 2.5 million Galaxy Note 7 phones after several dozen caught fire and exploded may stem from a subtle manufacturing error, but it highlights the challenge electronics makers face in packing ever more battery power into ever thinner phones, while rushing for faster release dates.Īnnouncing the recall on Sept.