Exploding Galaxy Note 7 caused $1,400 damage to hotel room, customer says
Technically Incorrect: An Australian poster to Reddit says that he was on a business trip when his new phone spontaneously combusted.
Technically Incorrect offers a slightly twisted take on the tech that's taken over our lives.
Notably fried.
In recalling its Galaxy Note 7s, Samsung said that it had received word of 35 phones that had endured battery malfunctions that might have led to explosions.
It didn't mention whether any had caused damage.
On Sunday, however, an Australian poster to Reddit said that their phone had spontaneously combusted while charging and damaged their hotel room.
Posting under the handle Crushader, the customer said the phone exploded while it was charging overnight, leaving the phone "completely fried."
And the damage? "Charred the hotel room bed sheet and the carpet when I whacked it down to the floor," said Crushader. "Burnt one of my finger [sic] while doing that too."
Crushader, who did not respond to a request for further comment, said he was using an approved Samsung cable and charger.
The user has been offered a replacement device, and Samsung has confirmed that it is arranging to cover the bill for damages to the hotel room.
Initial reports and images of exploded phones circulated on South Korean social media, but Samsung has confirmed the case in Perth is one of the first two cases reported in Australia. Samsung has recalled 51,060 devices across Australia, warning customers to take safety seriously and stop using phones immediately. Samsung and Australian carriers are offering the choice of a full refund, repair or replacement on all devices.
The hotel allegedly estimated the damage to the hotel room at 1,800 Australian dollars (around $1,382). Crushader said that Samsung had already agreed to cover the cost.
The customer also posted several pictures of the phone and the alleged damage. It does, indeed, look like it endured a considerable frying, while the hotel room suffered a charring.
In further comments on Reddit, Crushader -- identified by the West Australian newspaper as Tham Hui from Melbourne -- said he knew of the recall but there had been "nothing official from Samsung themselves."
"You'd think they'd contact people [who] bought directly from Samsung to return their Note 7," he said. He said he's bought his directly from Samsung Australia.
In the US, Samsung has been criticized by Consumer Reports for not making its recall official, so that authorities could ensure that no one would be injured and no more Note 7s sold.
However, once you hear that 35 Note 7s have exploded, it's surely wise to power yours down and get a replacement.
CNET's Claire Reilly contributed to this report.