After the global recall of its Galaxy Note 7 smartphone, Samsung divulged its conclusions as to why its phones were catching fire:
The Issue – 2 Different Batteries
Lithium-ion batteries sourced from Samsung SDI began to overheat and catch fire because there was not enough space between the heat-sealed protective pouch around the battery and its internals. But there was another problem- not every phone had that insulation tape separating the two volatile elements. Some phones were missing the separator completely — that’s a quality control issue that led to the recall.
The Results – Extensive Testing
These results were publicized after testing 200,000 devices and 30,000 batteries in a massive charging and recharging test facility fabricated for the task. Samsung did not offer specifics about its prior quality-control techniques, but the company says it has overhauled its safety testing practices as a result of the investigations.
The Future – Galaxy S8 and Testing Protocol
Future Samsung smartphones are being designed with a new compartment to give batteries more space inside the phone and combat damage from dropping. The company will be implementing a new battery testing protocol that should make phones safer as well as hiring more staff to comply with its new standards.
