Why Do Galaxy Note 7 Phones Catch Fire?

Following various reports of Galaxy Note 7 phones catching fire, Samsung urged its customers to stop using the device. But where did the story begin and why are these phones catching fire? In recent weeks, several reports regarding the explosion and fire of the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 battery and phone have made headlines, forcing Samsung to investigate the situation. The first explosions of this phone were reported last September. Accordingly, Samsung announced a recall of 2.5 million sold phones. However, the explosions and fires of Samsung Galaxy Note 7 phones continued. For instance, according to Reuters, last week an incident on a flight in the United States once again stirred the atmosphere for this South Korean company. In this incident, a Galaxy Note 7 phone exploded during a flight in Kentucky, accompanied by smoke, leading to the evacuation of the plane for investigation. This occurred while the phone was turned off. The recurrence of this incident and the ongoing investigations by Samsung prompted the company to announce on October 11 that all Galaxy Note 7 owners should stop using their phones. The company has asked its customers to turn off their phones and refrain from using them. Samsung cited the importance of public safety as the main reason for this decision and added that investigations are still ongoing. Samsung had previously stated that the way the battery was constructed and the pressure applied during production were the reasons for the explosion. Following the announcement to stop usage by Galaxy Note 7 owners, Samsung's stock fell by 8% in the Seoul stock market, resulting in a market value drop of $17 billion. This is considered a major failure for Samsung, as they viewed the Galaxy Note 7 as a high-end and expensive phone, a serious competitor to Apple's latest products. In response to this announcement from Samsung, Apple's stock value increased. The Galaxy Note 7, marketed as a phablet—a combination of phone and tablet—was released on August 19. However, the series of explosions and the damage inflicted on Samsung have led experts to predict an early entry for the Galaxy S8. To compensate for this failure, Samsung must release a new model to avoid a definitive defeat in competition with Apple. In this regard, an advertisement released by Samsung states that the Galaxy S8, as the next flagship product of the company, will be introduced on February 26 at the Mobile World Congress 2017 in Barcelona. Aside from the battery issue, the water-resistant feature of the Galaxy Note 7 had encouraged many to purchase it. This phablet even allows users to take notes underwater with its stylus. However, the phenomenon of phones catching fire is not new, as Nokia batteries have also exploded in the past. Calls for attention to defective mobile phone batteries have occurred before. In 2006, Nokia faced a similar issue, announcing that 46 million mobile phone batteries produced between late 2005 and November 2006 were at risk of explosion. These batteries, branded by Nokia and produced by a Japanese partner company, were used in various Nokia phone models, with some sold as spare parts. According to Nokia, these batteries could explode and catch fire due to internal defects. Nokia stated that the likelihood of explosion was low and that such incidents usually occurred during charging. By the time of this announcement, only 100 explosion cases had been reported. Interestingly, the risk of battery explosion exists in all phones. Battery explosions can occur in any brand of mobile phone due to specific reasons that can be prevented. One of the primary causes is the phone being dropped, which can create small holes in the battery, leading to short circuits that can result in explosions. It should be emphasized that this issue occurs more frequently in low-quality batteries. Purchasing high-quality batteries from reputable brands and preventing the phone from falling or being hit can help avoid swelling and explosions. Excessive heat can also cause mobile phone batteries to explode. This condition can lead to short circuits in the battery and its explosion. Overcharging can put the phone in such a situation. Therefore, it is always recommended that if your mobile phone is charging, do not place it against your ear for calls to avoid it exploding on your face in case of an incident.