• Home
  • News
  • Fortune 500
  • Tech
  • Finance
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
TechGlobal 500

Why Some Fans Won’t Give Up on the Samsung Galaxy Note 7

By
Reuters
Reuters
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Reuters
Reuters
Down Arrow Button Icon
October 14, 2016, 9:08 AM ET

As Samsung Electronics struggles to limit the damage from the Galaxy Note 7 fiasco, it is finding slivers of support from faithful users of the glitzy smartphone who are reluctant to give it up and switch to an alternative.

The premium $882 device that was meant to compete with Apple‘s (AAPL) latest iPhones at the top end of the smartphone market was scrapped on Tuesday, less than two months after its launch, due to safety fears following reports of fires caused by overheating.

“I don’t think I am going to go with Note 7 forever. But the problem is there is no other phone that I like,” said Jo Hyang-won, a 32-year-old office worker in South Korea.

Jo said there are other users she is aware of who also say they wish Samsung (SSNLF) would find the cause of the problem and fix the phone.

After announcing a global recall of 2.5 million Note 7s in early September, Samsung said this week it is permanently stopping their production and sales. It has urged users to power down the device and has offered to exchange it for other models globally.

A member of an online forum which has more than 3,000 people signed up to discuss Note 7 in South Korea wrote: “I don’t want to use other phones.”

Boasting distinct features such as curved screen, an iris scanner, and a pen accessory, the 5.7-inch phone was widely expected to accelerate Samsung’s mobile-sales momentum that had helped it post surging profits earlier this year.

The large-screen phone employs a similar design to Samsung’s flagship Galaxy S7, which was the best-selling Android (GOOGL) phone in the first half of this year, and Samsung had hoped the Note 7 would enjoy a similar appeal.

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter.

But Samsung now expects to take a hit to profits of around $5.3 billion from the Note 7 failure. It blamed faulty batteries for the original problem but has given no inkling about the cause of overheating in the replacement phones.

The batteries, ironically, were what endeared the phone to some users.

“It’s a beautiful phone. I like the whole interface. It’s very smooth and very fast,” said Kenneth Wayne Wong, a tennis coach in Singapore, who purchased two Note 7s—one for himself and one for his son.

“The battery lasts very long. I charge and unplug it every morning around 5:30 and it can last me all the way to night… and I still have 30 percent balance.”

Yet, for some like Sidrah Ahmad in Singapore, safety considerations mean eventually giving up the Note 7.

“I am trying to ignore the voices in my head saying I should stop. But I think I’ll have to stop soon,” said the 34-year-old public servant. “Why? (I’m) constantly being conscious whether the device is getting too warm… it’s getting in the way of the positive experience of the phone.”

About the Author
By Reuters
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Tech

Big TechStreaming
Trump warns Netflix-Warner deal may pose antitrust ‘problem’
By Hadriana Lowenkron, Se Young Lee and BloombergDecember 7, 2025
6 hours ago
Big TechOpenAI
OpenAI goes from stock market savior to burden as AI risks mount
By Ryan Vlastelica and BloombergDecember 7, 2025
6 hours ago
AIData centers
HP’s chief commercial officer predicts the future will include AI-powered PCs that don’t share data in the cloud
By Nicholas GordonDecember 7, 2025
8 hours ago
Future of WorkJamie Dimon
Jamie Dimon says even though AI will eliminate some jobs ‘maybe one day we’ll be working less hard but having wonderful lives’
By Jason MaDecember 7, 2025
12 hours ago
CryptoCryptocurrency
So much of crypto is not even real—but that’s starting to change
By Pete Najarian and Joe BruzzesiDecember 7, 2025
17 hours ago
Elon Musk
Big TechSpaceX
SpaceX to offer insider shares at record-setting $800 billion valuation
By Edward Ludlow, Loren Grush, Lizette Chapman, Eric Johnson and BloombergDecember 6, 2025
1 day ago

Most Popular

placeholder alt text
Real Estate
The 'Great Housing Reset' is coming: Income growth will outpace home-price growth in 2026, Redfin forecasts
By Nino PaoliDecember 6, 2025
2 days ago
placeholder alt text
AI
Nvidia CEO says data centers take about 3 years to construct in the U.S., while in China 'they can build a hospital in a weekend'
By Nino PaoliDecember 6, 2025
2 days ago
placeholder alt text
Economy
The most likely solution to the U.S. debt crisis is severe austerity triggered by a fiscal calamity, former White House economic adviser says
By Jason MaDecember 6, 2025
1 day ago
placeholder alt text
Economy
JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon says Europe has a 'real problem’
By Katherine Chiglinsky and BloombergDecember 6, 2025
1 day ago
placeholder alt text
Big Tech
Mark Zuckerberg rebranded Facebook for the metaverse. Four years and $70 billion in losses later, he’s moving on
By Eva RoytburgDecember 5, 2025
3 days ago
placeholder alt text
Uncategorized
Transforming customer support through intelligent AI operations
By Lauren ChomiukNovember 26, 2025
11 days ago
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Leadership
  • Success
  • Tech
  • Asia
  • Europe
  • Environment
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Health
  • Retail
  • Lifestyle
  • Politics
  • Newsletters
  • Magazine
  • Features
  • Commentary
  • Mpw
  • CEO Initiative
  • Conferences
  • Personal Finance
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map

© 2025 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.