It was supposed to be a landmark achievement for Samsung, and the start of an era of record-breaking profits. The release of the Note 7 was widely anticipated, and when it hit the shelves back in August, customers flocked to buy the new devices.
That’s when the trouble began.
The new devices were plagued with a fatal flaw that caused them to melt down and/or explode after a very short period of use. Needless to say, the customers were not amused.
The company issued a recall order, but it goes without saying that thousands of the devices are still in circulation. That’s risky, especially if you try to bring your explosion-prone device onto a commercial plane.
In fact, the FAA is taking the threat so seriously that they have banned the product from all commercial flights. Anyone who brings one onto a plane could face arrest and a steep fine.
This is just common sense, really. If you have a Note 7, and you haven’t turned it back into the company yet, don’t try to take it with you if you get on a plane. Not only do you risk punishment for yourself, but you’re putting every other passenger on board with you in harm’s way. It’s just not worth the risk.
Samsung has promised to replace all of the faulty devices, but has since suspended production of the Note 7 altogether. If you own one of the devices, be sure to check the company’s website often for the latest updates concerning the replacement plan.
This is certainly not the first time a major tech company has had to recall a massive number of their devices, but it is the most serious case we’ve seen. There’s little doubt that the company can weather the storm, but it will definitely be some time before the electronics giant fully recovers.