Samsung Galaxy Note 7

Samsung Galaxy Note 7

File:Samsung Galaxy Note 7 on display (29179352184).jpg
Brand	Samsung Galaxy
Manufacturer	Samsung Electronics
Series	Samsung Galaxy Note series
Model	SM-N930x (Last letter varies by carrier & international models)
Compatible networks	2G GSM/GPRS/EDGE – 850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz 2G CDMA 1xRTT – 800, 850, 1900 MHz 3G TD-SCDMA – 1900, 2000 MHz 3G UMTS/HSDPA/HSUPA/HSPA+ – 850, 900, AWS (1700), 1900, 2000, 2100 MHz 4G LTE – Bands 1-5, 7-8, 12-13, 17-20, 25-26, 28-30, 38-41
First released	19 August 2016 (2016-08-19)
Discontinued	11 October 2016 (2016-10-11)
Predecessor	Samsung Galaxy Note 5 Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+
Related	Samsung Galaxy S7
Type	Phablet
Form factor	Slate
Dimensions	153.5 mm (6.04 in) H 73.7 mm (2.90 in) W 7.9 mm (0.31 in) D
Weight	169 g (6.0 oz)
Operating system	Android 6.0.1 "Marshmallow"
System-on-chip	World: Samsung Exynos 8890 Canada/China/US/Japan: Qualcomm Snapdragon 820
GPU	World: Mali-T880 MP12 Canada/China/US/Japan: Adreno 530
Memory	4 GB LPDDR4 RAM
Storage	64 GB UFS 2.0
Removable storage	microSDXC up to 256 GB
Battery	3,500 mAh Li-ion battery, not user-replaceable.
Display	5.7 in (140 mm) 227 ppcm (518 ppi) Quad HD Super AMOLED 2560×1440 pixel resolution (16:9 aspect ratio)
Rear camera	Samsung ISOCELL S5K2L1 or Sony Exmor R IMX260 12 MP (1.4 µm), f/1.7 aperture with fast Dual Pixel autofocus Technology, 4K video recording at 30 fps, 1080p at 60 fps, 720p at 240 fps
Front camera	Samsung ISOCELL S54KE6 5.0 MP f/1.7 with wide-angle lens
Website	http://www.samsung.com/global/galaxy/galaxy-note7/

Samsung Galaxy Note 7 (marketed as Samsung Galaxy Note7) is an Android phablet smartphone that was produced and marketed by Samsung Electronics. Unveiled on 2 August 2016, it was officially released on 19 August 2016 as a successor to the Galaxy Note 5. Although it is the sixth main device in the Galaxy Note series, Samsung branded its series number as "7" instead, so that consumers would not perceive it as being inferior to the flagship Samsung Galaxy S7.

The Galaxy Note 7 is an evolution of the Galaxy Note 5 that inherited hardware components and improvements from the Galaxy S7, including the restoration of expandable storage and IP68 water resistance, and new features such as a dual-sided curved display, improvements to the bundled stylus and new software features which utilize it, an iris recognition system, and a USB Type-C port.

Demand for the Galaxy Note 7 on-launch was high, breaking pre-order records in South Korea and causing international releases to be delayed in some markets due to supply shortages. However, on 2 September 2016, Samsung suspended sales of the Galaxy Note 7 and announced a voluntary recall (referred to as a "product exchange program"), after it was found that a manufacturing defect in the phones' batteries had caused some of them to generate excessive heat, resulting in fires and explosions. A formal U.S. recall was announced on 15 September 2016. Samsung exchanged the affected phones for a new revision, which utilized batteries sourced from a different supplier. However, in early-October 2016, reports emerged of incidents where these replacement phones also caught on fire.

On 10 October 2016, in response to the new incidents, Samsung announced that it would once again suspend sales of the Galaxy Note 7 and recall all devices worldwide. The next day, Samsung also announced that it would permanently discontinue the Galaxy Note 7 and cease its production. The recall had a major impact on Samsung's business in the third quarter of 2016, with the company projecting that its operating profits would be down by 33% in comparison to the previous quarter. Credit Suisse analysts estimated that Samsung would lose at least US$17 billion in revenue from the production and recall of the Galaxy Note 7.

Specifications

Hardware

The Galaxy Note 7's hardware is similar in overall specifications and design to the Galaxy S7, with a metal and glass chassis, IP68 water resistance, and a microSD card slot. The Note 7 is equipped with an octa-core Exynos 8890 system-on-chip in most markets, and 4 GB of RAM. In China, Japan, and the United States, the Note 7 uses the quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 instead (which supports older CDMA networks that are extensively used by wireless carriers in these markets), Unlike the S7, which uses Exynos chips in this market, Canadian models of the Note 7 also use the Snapdragon 820. The Note 7 uses a USB Type-C port—marking Samsung's first device with the symmetrical connector.

The Galaxy Note 7 features a 5.7 inches (140 mm) 1440p Super AMOLED display. Similarly to the "Edge" models of the S6 and S7, the display curves over the side bezels of the device; the curvature allows the Note 7 to be 2.2 millimetres (0.087 in) narrower than the Galaxy Note 5. The display supports high-dynamic-range video, and is coated in Gorilla Glass 5. As with all Galaxy Note models, the device is supplied with an active stylus branded as "S Pen". The Note 7 stylus supports 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity, has a finer tip, and is water resistant. The Note 7 features the same 12-megapixel rear-facing camera as the S7, with a "Dual Pixel" image sensor and f/1.7 aperture lens.

The Galaxy Note 7 also offers an iris recognition system, using a front-facing camera and infrared illumination. The iris scanner can be used for unlocking, and as authentication for other features of the device (such as Samsung Pay and Secure Folder). A fingerprint reader is also embedded in the home button.

Software

The Galaxy Note 7 is supplied with Android 6.0 "Marshmallow" and an updated version of Samsung's proprietary TouchWiz user interface and software suite codenamed "Project Grace". It features an "always-on display" mode, which can display a clock and notifications on-screen when the device is not in use; different clock styles and support for notifications from third-party apps was added for the "Grace" version. The Screen off memo feature also leverages this mode, allowing users to write notes on the always-on display. The OS also features several new tools supporting the S Pen stylus, including translation, a screen magnifier, and a GIF recording tool. The previous suite of notetaking apps were also consolidated into a single Samsung Notes app.

The Galaxy Note 7 introduces a security feature known as "Secure Folder"; it allows users to create a private workspace, protected by an authentication method, with separate user data and apps that are sandboxed from the main system. Installed apps can be cloned into Secure Folder, and users can designate whether notifications generated by apps in the Secure Folder are displayed from outside it. Secure Folder is based on the Samsung Knox 2.7 technology, which also added the ability for enterprises to control the distribution of system updates, and improvements to mobile device management and Microsoft Exchange Server integration.

The device also introduces Samsung Pass, a platform allowing apps to provide biometric authentication using its iris scanner. Samsung reached partnerships with several major U.S. banks to explore the integration of Samsung Pass into their mobile apps.

Release

Pre-orders for the Galaxy Note 7 opened the day following its unveiling, with a U.S. release on 19 August 2016. Samsung skipped the numbering of the Galaxy Note series directly from "5" to "7" to synchronize it with the flagship Galaxy S series, and the Galaxy S7 line. The company stated that consumers may have perceived the Galaxy Note models to be inferior in technology to Galaxy S models because the numbering in their names were one digit lower.

Pre-orders in South Korea already broke records with 200,000 plus units pre-ordered within 2 days. Samsung Canada stated that pre-orders in Canada were "outstanding". The demand also forced countries like Malaysia, Netherlands, Russia and Ukraine to delay their releases to September due to shortage in supply.

Reception

Techradar complimented that the phone's "rich-looking, glass-and-metal-fused design" would "really wow people who are upgrading from those old, plastic-clad Note 4 and Note 3 handsets", but noted that the curved edges of the screen infrequently caused minor issues when using the stylus. The display was considered to be vibrant and well-suited for multimedia, especially due to its HDR support. Aspects of the software were also praised, including the continued trimming of Samsung's TouchWiz suite and its streamlined settings interface, and that it already included features introduced to the stock operating system as of Android "Nougat" (although still being initially supplied with Android "Marshmallow"). Of the device's new stylus-oriented features, the consolidated S Notes app, GIF recorder, and always-on display functionality were commended, but the translation tool was considered to be inferior to Google Translate. The Galaxy Note 7's battery was judged as being capable of one-and-a-half days of normal use, and it was noted that the software also featured numerous estimation and power-saving features. The rear-facing camera was praised for using the same "class-leading" unit as the S7, although noting that it aggressively produced saturated colors. In conclusion, Techradar concluded that "If you're going to get out of the stylus, the Note 7 is an obvious choice. The iris scanner doesn't make it a convincing enough buy on its own. Otherwise, save your money and stick with the S7 Edge."

Battery faults

On 31 August 2016, it was reported that Samsung was delaying shipments of the Galaxy Note 7 in some regions to perform "additional tests being conducted for product quality"; this came alongside user reports of batteries exploding while charging. On 1 September 2016, South Korea's Yonhap News Agency reported that Samsung was preparing to recall the device worldwide due to these battery issues. On 2 September 2016, Samsung suspended sales of the Galaxy Note 7 and announced a worldwide "product exchange program" (which, however, was not a formal government recall), by which customers would be able to exchange their device for a replacement of the same model, or a Galaxy S7 or S7 Edge (the price difference would be refunded), and also receive a $25 gift card from a participating carrier. It was estimated that it would cost Samsung US$1 billion to replace over two million devices it had sold before the recall.

The exact cause of the battery faults are not publicly known. Samsung initially cited "a battery cell issue". The company later stated that a manufacturing defect in the batteries, produced by a Samsung subsidiary, had caused them to generate excessive heat output. A company spokesperson stated that it had received 35 reports of battery failure, which "account for less than 0.1 percent of the entire volume sold". Samsung stated that the hazard was limited to a small fraction of phones manufactured, and released a tool on its website on 19 September 2016 to identify affected units by their unique IMEI numbers.

File:Notice about Samsung Galaxy Note 7 devices (29986812710).jpg

Notice about the Note 7 at San Francisco International Airport

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued an advisory on 8 September 2016, that passengers should not turn on or charge these devices on board aircraft. The European Aviation Safety Agency made a similar statement on 9 September 2016, stating that "passengers are reminded of the need to inform the cabin crew when a device is damaged, hot, produces smoke, is lost, or falls into the seat structure."

On 13 September 2016, Samsung announced in newspaper advertisements that it would release a software patch to the affected Galaxy Note 7 devices in South Korea, which prevent the device from being charged beyond 60% capacity to reduce the risk of combustion.

First recall

On 12 September 2016, the Galaxy Note 7 was officially recalled in the U.S. by the Consumer Product Safety Commission, who advised all owners to shut down and cease all usage of the device, and return them in exchange for a replacement.

The Galaxy Note 7 was subsequently re-issued with batteries supplied by the Chinese company Amperex Technology Limited (who also serves as the main battery supplier for the iPhone line). These replacement models, which Samsung purportedly classified as being safe, contain a prominent marking on their packaging to distinguish them from recalled units, and render all battery indicators within their operating system software in green. Samsung was granted special permission by Google to allow this change, as it would normally violate the requirements of the Android Compatibility Definition Document (which must be met to license Google Mobile Services software and Android trademarks) for all status bar icons to only be rendered in white. Following the announcement of the recall, Verizon Wireless released a software update to Galaxy Note 7 units purchased from the carrier, which displays the aforementioned green icons on safe devices, and an embedded recall notice on affected devices when the device is plugged in. Unlike the South Korean update, it does not include a charging cut-off.

Samsung reported that 80% of devices had been replaced in South Korea, and roughly 50% in Europe and North America. Only 10% of devices in the U.S. were returned, and about 50,000 devices were traded for a different model. However, Samsung stated that 95% of users chose to maintain their loyalty to the company.

Issues with replacement phones

In October 2016, several incidents occurred in which replacement Galaxy Note 7 phones also suffered from battery failure and combustion. On 5 October 2016, a flight preparing to depart from Louisville was evacuated prior to takeoff when a passenger's replacement Galaxy Note 7, obtained from an AT&T retail outlet, began smoking and popping as they were turning it off. Samsung stated that they were working with Southwest Airlines to investigate the incident, but stated that they would be unable to confirm whether the device was a replacement model until it was recovered. On 7 October, a second replacement phone in Minnesota had reportedly caught fire in a similar manner. On 8 October, it was reported that a Galaxy Note 7 owner had been hospitalized with acute bronchitis due to smoke inhalation, after his replacement device caught fire in the early morning of 4 October. Samsung found out about the incident the same day it happened, as the owner received a text message not meant for him from a Samsung customer service representative that read, "Just now got this. I can try and slow him down if we think it will matter, or we just let him do what he keeps threatening to do and see if he does it".

Second recall, discontinuation

In response to these incidents involving replacement phones, the United States' five major wireless carriers (AT&T Mobility and T-Mobile US on 9 October, along with Sprint Corporation, Verizon Wireless, and U.S. Cellular on 10 October) subsequently announced that they would suspend sales of the Galaxy Note 7 until further notice, pending an investigation.

On 10 October 2016, Samsung officially announced that it had "[asked] all carrier and retail partners globally to stop sales and exchanges" of the Galaxy Note 7, and urged all owners to power them off and "take advantage of the remedies available, including a refund at their place of purchase". On 11 October 2016, Samsung announced that it would permanently end production of the Galaxy Note 7 in the interest of customer safety. Samsung began issuing special kits to package the devices for returns; they consist of an antistatic bag that the phone is to be inserted into, and three layers of boxes—the last of which is lined with ceramic fibre paper for fire protection. The shipping box also contains instructions explicitly stating that they are not to be shipped by air. Samsung stated to Vice's Motherboard that it would not repair or refurbish any of the returned phones, and that the company would "safely dispose" of them.

Following Samsung's actions, the Rwanda Utilities and Regulatory Authority and the United States' Consumer Product Safety Commission issued official recalls of all units of the Galaxy Note 7. These recalls ban the sale and distribution of any Galaxy Note 7 phone within these countries. The British Royal Mail and British courier company Parcelforce announced that they would not accept or deliver any parcels containing a Galaxy Note 7. Online marketplaces eBay and Gumtree also began to pull listings selling Galaxy Note 7 devices. After the suspension of sales, Oculus VR issued an update to its software for the Samsung Gear VR virtual reality headset, which blocks its use with the Galaxy Note 7 for safety reasons. The headset had been included with some units of the phone as a promotional offer. On 14 October 2016, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and the Department of Transportation's Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration banned the Note 7 from being taken aboard any airline flight, even if powered off. Qantas, Virgin Australia and Singapore Airlines issued similar bans.

Effects on Samsung

The Verge criticized Samsung's overall handling of the battery faults and recall, arguing that the company had initially delivered unclear messaging over whether the devices were still safe to use, as well as its slow communication with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, which had the capacity to issue an official recall in the U.S. The arguments were based on data released on 13 September 2016 by the research firm Apteligent, which stated that Galaxy Note 7 usage had been "almost the exact same" since the announcement of the exchange program. The Verge also noted that the U.S. government's ban on taking Galaxy Note 7 phones aboard airline flights was "perhaps unprecedented", acknowledging that only the ban of hoverboards by individual airlines—an entire class of products (albeit one that was "admittedly fire-prone because of cheap materials"), came close to a legal ban for a single consumer product in terms of overall magnitude.

Analysts argued that the recall had hurt Samsung's brand, and would likely cause the company to lose its market share to competitors, including Apple and Google (which had recently unveiled their iPhone 7 and Pixel models), and other Android vendors. Credit Suisse analysts predicted that the recall and discontinuation would cause Samsung to lose nearly US$17 billion in revenue. On 12 October 2016, Samsung revised its earnings forecast for the third quarter of 2016, estimating a 33% drop in operating profits in comparison to the second quarter of 2016, and revenue expectations cut by ₩2 trillion to ₩47 trillion (US$41.8 billion).

Kyle Weins of Wired.com felt that Samsung switched to non-removable batteries in order to imitate the industrial design of Apple, after having used removable batteries on many of its past models (such as the Galaxy Note 4). He argued that this design decision exacerbated the battery faults of the Note 7, by requiring users to replace the entire phone as opposed to just the battery. He suggested that in the future, Samsung could "lead the pack" by switching back to removable batteries, as with other "responsible" OEMs such as HP Inc. and LG Electronics. Concerns were also raised over the creation of electronic waste resulting from Samsung's announced plan to destroy all returned phones, rather than recycle and refurbish them into new products.

External links

• Official website