Samsung has an app to help you find out if your Note 7 is recalled, plus there are two ways to identify models with the new battery.
The Note 7 was shaping up to be one of the top phones of the year. Then, it happened. Report after report of exploding devices. Samsung traces the issue to a battery cell problem and next thing you know, new owners are being asked to stop using their phones until further notice.
It wasn’t pretty and the entire situation unprecedented.
Now, Samsung says it has solved the battery issue and replacement phones are in stores. Here’s what you need to know.
First, if you have a Samsung Galaxy Note 7 you should stop using it. That’s the bottom line.
Wondering if yours is affected? You can check your IMEI number on this website or you can download the Samsung + App to your Note 7 and it will automatically scan your phone and tell you if it’s part of the recall.
If your phone is among those recalled (and pretty much every phone sold before September 15, 2016 is) you have a few options. You can exchange it for a new Note 7, a replacement S7 or S7 edge, or you can return it for a refund. If you stick with Samsung, the company will also toss in a $25 gift card.
The entire incident is unfortunate. The Note 7 is a true powerhouse Android device and is one of the best phones Samsung has ever produced. I am a huge fan of the design, the camera and even the software seems more refined than what Samsung generally produces.
So how do you tell the new Note 7’s from the recalled ones? There are several ways. First, the phone software itself is slightly different. You’ll see a green battery indicator in several places – along the top of the screen, on the always on screen and when you go to turn off the phone. Second, the box of “new” Note 7’s has a black square on it near the barcodes.
“To be clear, the Note 7 with the new battery is safe, the battery cell issue is resolved,” said Tim Baxter, president of Samsung Electronics America in a statement.