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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Samsung in Note 7 row in China after reports of devices catching fire | Samsung in Note 7 row in China after reports of devices catching fire |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Samsung has found itself in a row with Chinese consumers, with some accusing the firm of being biased against them. | Samsung has found itself in a row with Chinese consumers, with some accusing the firm of being biased against them. |
| The South Korean firm has not issued a recall of its Galaxy Note 7 in China, despite local media reports of two devices catching fire. | The South Korean firm has not issued a recall of its Galaxy Note 7 in China, despite local media reports of two devices catching fire. |
| Samsung said it had concluded that the damage was caused by "external heating" so a recall was not necessary. | Samsung said it had concluded that the damage was caused by "external heating" so a recall was not necessary. |
| The vast majority of Note 7s sold in China were equipped with batteries made by a local supplier. | |
| The callbacks elsewhere have been linked to faulty batteries made by Samsung itself. | |
| Big market | |
| China is the world's largest smartphone market and of key importance to manufacturers. | China is the world's largest smartphone market and of key importance to manufacturers. |
| On 2 September, Samsung issued a recall of 2.5 million phones in certain countries, leaving out China. | On 2 September, Samsung issued a recall of 2.5 million phones in certain countries, leaving out China. |
| The firm said in a statement that the phones sold there did not have the battery manufacturing error that has caused fires in dozens of phones in other places. | The firm said in a statement that the phones sold there did not have the battery manufacturing error that has caused fires in dozens of phones in other places. |
| Samsung also assured customers that the Galaxy Note 7s in China that went on sale after 1 Sept were "safe to use". | Samsung also assured customers that the Galaxy Note 7s in China that went on sale after 1 Sept were "safe to use". |
| In the last week, Chinese media have reported that two of the devices appeared to have caught fire. Pictures posted online appeared to show charred Note 7 devices. | In the last week, Chinese media have reported that two of the devices appeared to have caught fire. Pictures posted online appeared to show charred Note 7 devices. |
| Some Chinese consumers said Samsung's lack of action showed that it was biased against China. | Some Chinese consumers said Samsung's lack of action showed that it was biased against China. |
| "Caused by external heating? The heat of a person's body temperature can cause a phone to explode. Sure," said one user sarcastically on micro-blogging site Weibo. | "Caused by external heating? The heat of a person's body temperature can cause a phone to explode. Sure," said one user sarcastically on micro-blogging site Weibo. |
| "Samsung doesn't dare raise a fuss overseas but in China as soon as explosions are mentioned they blame other people," another person commented. | "Samsung doesn't dare raise a fuss overseas but in China as soon as explosions are mentioned they blame other people," another person commented. |
| "China is a big market. Be careful Samsung, don't bully China," warned one user. | "China is a big market. Be careful Samsung, don't bully China," warned one user. |
| "I think consumers are pretty unhappy with Samsung," Ben Cavender of China Market Research Group told the Associated Press news agency. | "I think consumers are pretty unhappy with Samsung," Ben Cavender of China Market Research Group told the Associated Press news agency. |
| He said Chinese consumers "start to feel like they are being taken advantage of, that they are not being accorded the same respect here as they are abroad". | He said Chinese consumers "start to feel like they are being taken advantage of, that they are not being accorded the same respect here as they are abroad". |
| In June, Swedish furniture company Ikea suffered a similar backlash after it recalled dressers in the US and Canada but failed to do so immediately in China. It announced a Chinese recall in July. | |
| External issues | External issues |
| The Chinese battery supplier for Note 7 phones sold in China said the fires appeared to be different from those in other countries. | The Chinese battery supplier for Note 7 phones sold in China said the fires appeared to be different from those in other countries. |
| "We believe the heat problem comes from outside the battery. A very large likelihood exists that other factors gave rise to the heat problem," said Amperex Technology Ltd. | "We believe the heat problem comes from outside the battery. A very large likelihood exists that other factors gave rise to the heat problem," said Amperex Technology Ltd. |
| The company gave no further explanation of what might have caused the problems. | The company gave no further explanation of what might have caused the problems. |
| Samsung said it had investigated the first phone that was reported to have caught fire, but was unable to obtain the phone involved in the second incident. | Samsung said it had investigated the first phone that was reported to have caught fire, but was unable to obtain the phone involved in the second incident. |
| Reports of Samsung recalling 1,858 phones also emerged on 14 September. | Reports of Samsung recalling 1,858 phones also emerged on 14 September. |
| Chinese state newspaper People's Daily said it was "insincere" of Samsung to recall almost 2,000 units in China but "one million in the United States". | Chinese state newspaper People's Daily said it was "insincere" of Samsung to recall almost 2,000 units in China but "one million in the United States". |
| But a Samsung spokesman told the BBC that these units, which were tested before 1 September, had been in use before the phone officially went on the market in China. | But a Samsung spokesman told the BBC that these units, which were tested before 1 September, had been in use before the phone officially went on the market in China. |
| "They were sold through [a] few sales channels for a test experience. As a preventive measure, we are taking these units back." | "They were sold through [a] few sales channels for a test experience. As a preventive measure, we are taking these units back." |