Samsung Galaxy Note 7 Batteries Were Tested Within the Company

Now that the Galaxy Note 7 has been discontinued permanently, everyone wants to know what caused the issue with the batteries. Not only has Samsung launched an internal investigation into the issue, but the South Korean government has also jumped in with an investigation of their own. A lot of people seem to have their own theory as to what happened with the batteries, but no one has been able to present evidence to prove their case.

Some publications are putting the blame on the rounded edges of the Galaxy Note 7. The theory here is, that due to the rounded corners on the phone, there is a high probability that the battery cells will bend and make contact with another cell. Others have suggested that a tweak made to the hardware to increase the charge time is the underlying cause of the issue. This theory indicates that the batteries themselves were safe, but the way they were being charged was the culprit.

Again, there are multiple theories floating around but none have been proven as of right now. Interestingly enough though, a new report from The Wall Street Journal talks about how Samsung was in charge of the testing process for these batteries. This is unique because other smartphone OEMs use a 3rd-party lab to test whether or not the batteries used in their devices are safe or not.

In order to sell a smartphone in the United States, a handset OEM must have their batteries tested at one of the 28 labs certified by the U.S. wireless industry’s trade group. According to CTIA, Samsung is the only manufacturer to use in-house battery-testing facilities. Both Lenovo and Nokia have operated CTIA-certified battery labs in the past, but both say their labs are in the process of being closed down. Further, Samsung’s in-house testing had not revealed any issues with the Note 7 batteries.

Samsung says they are “working around the clock” to figure out what caused the issue with the Galaxy Note 7, and also plans to make “significant changes” in its quality-assurance processes. The company declined to comment whether it plans to use third-party labs for battery testing.

Source: The Wall Street Journal