Samsung Galaxy Note 7 Recall: Here's How to Check If Your Unit Is Safe

Samsung's latest Galaxy Note 7 is making headlines for all the wrong reasons which have led authorities of several countries including India to ban the use of the handset in flights. The South Korean consumer electronics giant has announced that the replacement stock for the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 will arrive country-wise starting this month and the first country to get the new stocks will be Australia, where it will be available beginning September 21.

(Also see: Samsung Galaxy Note 7 First Impressions)

Samsung in the meanwhile has revealed ways how you can check whether a Galaxy Note 7 is safe or not and it can be done through checking the label on the retail box. The company says that the new Note 7 packaging will sport a clear identification on the box which will have a small black square on the white barcode label along with a white sticker with a blue letter 'S'.

This will allow customers to check their Note 7 units for safety labelling once the replacement units will be available. The new labelling will also curb third-party retailers from selling the old stocked Galaxy Note 7 units. However, what if you receive a Galaxy Note 7 without a retail box (for whatever reason). The South Korean company has you covered there as well, and will also soon let customers cross-check if their Galaxy Note 7 unit is safe by entering an IMEI number via an online database.

"All Galaxy Note7 devices have a unique IMEI number so we can identify and advise if an IMEI number belongs to a new replacement Galaxy Note7," notes Samsung.

The company has announced that customers in Australia will be able to buy the new Galaxy Note 7 stocks from early October.

According to replacement process published by Samsung Australia, customers who are affected by the Galaxy Note 7 issues remain entitled to choose a new Galaxy Note 7 (where users will be provided with a courtesy device until the replacement Galaxy Note 7 stock arrives) or get complete refund. Customers can approach either Samsung or their retailer (or operator) for the entitlement. Those who elect a replacement Note 7 unit will be contacted by their original place of purchase (whether be Samsung or a third-party retailer) from September 21 (in Australia) to coordinate for the collection or delivery of the new Galaxy Note 7 unit.

"Until a replacement device is provided, Samsung reminds all customers who still have an affected Galaxy Note 7 smartphone to back up their data, complete a factory reset to delete personal data, power down their device and return it to its place of purchase to seek remedy of their choice," Samsung stresses in a press statement.

One of the biggest ironies is that Samsung has not announced official recall for Note 7 units worldwide, which means some third-party retailers globally are still selling the phones - and aren't legally bound to stop. The South Korean company recently however announced an exchange policy for all the Galaxy Note 7 customers.

Samsung's latest Galaxy Note 7 is steadily becoming the biggest laughing stock globally as there are more cases reported on the exploding of the Galaxy Note 7 units while charging due to an alleged battery issue. In recent incidents, the explosions due to Galaxy Note 7 led to fire in a jeep and also reportedly put a house on fire. In another case, the explosion of a Galaxy Note 7 caused major damage to hotel room.

The issue has led India to ban the use of Samsung's Galaxy Note 7 on all flights, a similar approach taken by other countries as well.