Although Samsung retrieved about 97 percent of its exploding smartphone, Galaxy Note 7, through a global recall last year, the tech giant estimates about 100,000 people still use it worldwide.
In early January this year, Samsung issued an ultimatum by taking compulsory measures following the gradual limitation to the phone's battery charging capacity. It wirelessly limited the battery capacity of all Note 7s to 15 percent, rendering it almost useless. However, Samsung's extreme measures were not enough to convince some stubborn users who refused to return their phones.
Now, Samsung is about to close the lid on Note 7. "We have decided to take the extreme measures to ensure the safety of consumers," a Samsung official said Friday. The shutdown will take effect on March 28.
This would be Samsung's first shut-down of Note 7 in South Korea, though it took similar steps abroad by blocking battery charging ability or its mobile network communication ability. Samsung will also end its phone exchanging program for Note 7 users and allow a full refund only at designated service centers from April 1.
Park Sae-jin = swatchsjp@ajunews.com