Only a few days after an alleged replacement unit of the Galaxy Note 7 caught fire on a Southwest Airlines plane, another Note 7 device reportedly exploded — this time in Taiwan.
The latest incident proves that the problem of defective Note 7 devices spans the globe and might not go away anytime soon.
Galaxy Note 7 Replacement Issues
The unit in question, a replacement received only on Sept. 27, was said to have exploded in the back pocket of the owner while she was out walking her dog late night on Friday, Apple Daily, a Taiwanese newspaper, reported.
The 26-year-old woman, identified only by her surname Lai, allegedly heard a loud bang and felt something burning in her back pocket. She pulled her Note 7 out and found it was starting to emit smoke furiously. At that point, she quickly threw the device on the ground and waited some time for the smoke to clear before picking it up again.
Lai purchased the device in August but was among the countless owners affected by Samsung's global recall due to the Note 7's exploding batteries.
Samsung Taiwan is yet to confirm, however, if Lai's device was, in fact, a replacement unit, but photos surfaced by local media suggest the unit may have been a replacement.
Officials from the company stated on Saturday that they intended to reach out to the owner, recall the device, and further investigate the cause of the explosion. But the owner has since expressed dismay.
"[I] might as well not get a new phone," Lai said.
Another Galaxy Note 7, also believed to be a replacement, caught fire on Wednesday morning, Oct. 5, just before the owner took flight aboard a Southwest Airlines plane.
Brian Green, owner of the device, recounted how he had turned off the unit and tucked it into his pocket as part of the flight protocol when it began to spew smoke. He allegedly threw the device on the floor where it ended up burning the carpet of the aircraft. The mishap led to the passengers being evacuated and the flight canceled.
Will Samsung Finally Stop Selling The Note 7?
If the Galaxy Note 7 that caught fire on a Southwest Airlines plane turns out to be a replacement unit, then Samsung may be bound for another global recall.
But, until such time, the company might be able to continue on with business as usual.
The Federal Aviation Administration and the Consumer Product Safety Commission are keeping a close eye on any more cases of explosion.
Amid the volatility of the situation, U.S. carriers the likes of AT&T might pull the plug on the Galaxy Note 7 on their own. AT&T is reportedly considering ending the sale of Galaxy Note 7 — even of those deemed "safe" — for good if Samsung fails to act immediately.
All this could lead to Samsung finally drawing the curtains to a close on the Note 7.
