Samsung Announces Temporary Note 7 Solution: Limit Phone’s Charge

Image courtesy of Samsung

While Samsung’s Galaxy Note 7 smartphones still haven’t officially been recalled in the United States, all over the world, people are continuing to use their brand-new phones, at least until Samsung is able to get a replacement Note 7 into their hands. To keep these stubborn customers from fiery disaster, the company announced a software update in South Korea that could hit other countries and might be involuntary: users won’t be able to fully charge their batteries.

The Associated Press reports that the update would start to roll out in one week, on Sept. 20. It would prevent users from charging their phones past 60% of capacity, reducing but not eliminating the chance of overheating and fires.

A news agency in South Korea reported that Samsung is negotiating with phone carriers around the world to push the update to users still using devices that have not yet been replaced after the non-recall.

The massive exchanging of devices was poorly timed for device owners in South Korea, as a three-day national holiday begins today: Chuseok, a harvest festival where families travel to their ancestral towns. It’s all that traveling that’s the problem, and phone owners have been rushing to shops to exchange their devices.

Samsung sent pizzas to the hard-working employees of stores that sell its devices, the AP reported.

Samsung’s quick fix for Galaxy Note 7 is no full recharge [AP]

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