This is probably the last bit of news Samsung wanted to pop up in headlines in the weeks leading up to the Note 8 launch. Though, to be fair, this latest battery recall isn’t actually on Samsung.
The US Consumer Product Safety Commission has issued a recall for refurbished Galaxy Note 4 batteries. While the news has undeniable echoes of last year’s massive Note 7 disaster, this time out, the fault appears to fall at the feet of potentially counterfeited batteries supplied by FedEx.
As the company noted in a statement to TechCrunch, “FedEx Supply Chain handles more than the transportation of these devices. We deliver technology-based solutions for customers that include repair, refurbishment and testing.”
The batteries in question were installed in refurbished AT&T Note 4 units. The scale is much smaller than last year’s issues, impacting a little over 10,000 units, and thus far no injuries or property damage has been reported. Instead, there’s only a single case of overheating resulting from the non-OEM batteries. The fact that the Note 4 has a user-replaceable battery should help the whole thing go a bit more smoothly, as well.
FedEx will be mailing out a new battery identified with a green dot to users who got a replacement Note 4 as part of an AT&T insurance program between last December and this past April. The company is also mailing out a pre-paid box to send back the old battery.
“We are closely engaged with our customers to make sure all of these lithium batteries are safely and quickly returned, and will replace those lithium batteries free of charge for consumers,” the company said in a statement provided to TechCrunch. “FedEx Supply Chain places a high priority on the safe handling, packaging, and transport of our customers’ products and regrets any inconvenience this recall may cause.”
FedEx would not provide any more information regarding the origin of the batteries in question.
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