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What Caused the Galaxy Note 7 Fires?

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Samsung details why the Galaxy Note 7 phablet shipped with the unfortunate tendency to catch fire-- an investigation explains the reason boils down to two distinct battery flaws, not a hardware or software issue.

Samsung test facility According to the company the batteries had two major flaws. The first is a casing too small to actually fit the electrode assembly, leading to short circuits. Samsung suppliers realised the problem and replaced the batteries with a safer version, only in their haste they brought about welding defects that also lead to short circuits. Either way, the smartphones started overheating, and catching fire.

Samsung insists it built a stand-alone testing lab to look into all potential causes of overheating, including wired and wireless charging, the USB-C port and the iris-scanning functionality. TUV Rheinland was also hired to check if storage or transport processes affected the batteries.

Alarming reports of the Note 7 catching fire first emerged on September 2017. The Korean giant failed to fix the issue, leading to a global recall program of the phablet and the eventual termination of sales. And to think Samsung was hoping it had a winner on its hand!

Following the investigation, what comes next for Samsung? Mobile chief DJ Koh says the company will be assigning teams to own the crucial final checks on device core components, as well as putting batteries trough an 8-point test complete with visual inspections, x-ray inspection and full disassembly. It should also release the next iteration of Galaxy device, the S8, at the upcoming Mobile World Congress 2017, Barcelona.

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