How to replace or exchange the Galaxy Note 7 in the US

Samsung has urged Galaxy Note 7 users to power down the device and go through the return/exchange program with their local carrier. The process is a little different for all four major carriers in the United States. Here ‘s all you need to know:

Verizon is asking customers to do the return/exchange process via their website instead of visiting a retail store. This process requires customers to go to the company’s site, pick out a replacement device, sign into their account, and select the ‘upgrade’ option. Verizon will then send a special recovery box in order to ship back the troubled phablet. If customers wish, they are also entitled to a full device refund. The carrier will also refund any Note 7 specific accessories purchased through them. Customers will automatically receive either a $100 bill credit (in 1 or 2 billing cycles) if they choose to get another Samsung phone or a $25 bill credit if they choose a different phone.

AT&T customers have it a little different. If customers choose to stay with a Samsung device, AT&T will provide a $100 bill credit (applies in 1-2 billing cycles) for the inconvenience. For customers who prefer not to go with another Samsung device, AT&T will give a $25 bill credit. Business customers are being directed to visit a retail store. Any customer who currently has a damaged Note 7 can still partake in the exchange program without penalty.

Sprint encourages its customers to make an appointment online to start the process. However, it will also accept walk-in appointments. The next step of the process is to work with a retail store representative on selecting a new device. Similar to AT&T, Sprint is also giving a $100 service credit (takes up to 3 billing cycles) to customers who choose to pick another Samsung device or a $25 service credit if customers decide to select a completely different device.

Last but not least, T-Mobile. The un-carrier wants to make the process extremely easy for its customers. Those who purchased the Note 7 can visit any of their retail outlets for a full refund which can be used for a replacement device. Any customer worrying about losing the promotions that the device came with can breathe easy. T-Mobile is allowing customers to retain the free Netflix subscription, Gear Fit or SD card that came as a result of pre-ordering the Note 7. For the inconvenience, T-Mobile is throwing customers a $25 bill credit (within 2 billing cycles) whether they purchase another device or not. In addition, any customer who replaces their Note 7 with another Samsung device with receive a $75 bill credit (within 2-3 billing cycles). Lastly, T-Mobile has also indicated that they are participating in Samsung’s $100 credit towards the purchase of another Samsung device, but have not yet released details regarding this.

All carriers are waiving restocking, upgrade and shipping fees. If you require any additional information, please contact your local carrier store.

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Samsung announces industry-first mass production of System-on-Chip with 10nm FinFET technology

Samsung today announced that it has now started mass production of System-on-Chip (SoC) products with 10-nanometer FinFET technology, the company says that this is an industry-first. It follows the successful mass production of the industry’s first FinFET mobile application processor back in January 2015. “The industry’s first mass production of 10nm FinFET technology demonstrates our leadership in advanced process technology,” said Jong Shik Yoon, Executive Vice President, Head of Foundry Business at Samsung Electronics, adding that the company will continue its efforts to advance scaling technologies.

The company’s new 10nm FinFET process uses advanced 3D transistor structure with additional improvements being made to the process technology and design enablement compared to the 14nm process. Samsung says this allows an up to 30 percent increase in area efficiency with 27 percent higher performance or 40 percent lower power use. Samsung has also said that the second-generation 10nm processor with performance boost is slated to enter mass production by the second half of next year. Devices powered by these new SoC products will be launched early next year.

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Samsung launches its quantum dot curved gaming monitor

Samsung today announced the global launch of its quantum dot curved gaming monitor. The CFG70 curved monitor has been designed with professional gamers in mind. It promises enhanced picture quality and player-friendly features. Samsung first showed off this monitor at Gamescom 2016 and IFA 2016.

“With the introduction of quantum dot technology to our pioneering curved monitors, Samsung offers a look into the future of gaming, along with a level of picture quality like the industry has never seen before,” said Seog-gi Kim, Senior Vice President, Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics.

Available in 24-inch and 27-inch models, the CFG70 provides accurate colors across a 125 percent sRGB spectrum with a 3,000:1 contrast ratio. The display features 1800R curvature and a uniform 178-degree wide viewing angle. Integrated AMD FreeSync technology allows for synchronization of the screen’s 144 Hz refresh rates with users’ AMD graphics cards to minimize input latency, image tearing and stutter. Samsung provides a range of gamer-friendly features with the CFG70 such as a gaming interface with intuitive settings and a series of hotkeys on the front and back of the display for easy adjustment of gameplay settings.

Samsung has now launched its first quantum dot gaming monitor globally. Contact retailers in your market for more information about pricing and availability.

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Samsung went against industry practice to self-test Galaxy Note 7 batteries

People are going to talk about the Galaxy Note 7′s battery crisis for years to come. This component forced Samsung to ditch what might have been one of its most popular flagship smartphones. The company is still trying to find out the cause of its $5.3 billion misery. According to a new report, Samsung went against the industry practice of having smartphone batteries tested at one of the 28 labs certified by the wireless industry trade group CTIA to ensure that they comply with the standards set by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. This is actually a requirement for companies that want to sell smartphones at major US carriers. Samsung decided to self-test the batteries instead.

CTIA certification requires a smartphone battery to be tested on its own as well as when it’s powering the device. The aim of these tests is to ascertain whether the batteries work properly while a phone is being charged or used for calls, which is when they’re most likely going to heat up a bit. Batteries are also put in high temperatures to simulate summer conditions so that potential overheating and combustion hazards can be discovered.

Samsung is currently the only major smartphone manufacturer to use its in-house battery testing facilities for CTIA certification. A spokesman for the company said that tests at its facilities didn’t reveal any problems with the Galaxy Note 7′s battery. Microsoft and Lenovo used to operate their own labs for CTIA certification but the trade group says that they both being closed. Samsung has been testing its smartphones at its own CTIA-certified lab since 2009 and this is only the first time that it has had this problem on such a massive scale.

The company is currently conducting an investigation into the entire Galaxy Note 7 fiasco. It’s yet to come up with an official explanation behind the fires, but the head of Samsung’s mobile business has assured customers that he will find out the cause at any cost and make it public to try and rebuild consumer trust in the world’s largest smartphone vendor.

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Samsung laid off the highest number of employees in the first half of this year

We first started hearing reports about a year ago that Samsung is downsizing its workforce in a bid to cut down on costs. Samsung said back then that it was actually advising “average workers with mediocre performance” to leave the company with a sizable compensation. Samsung is still at it. 54 of the 109 listed companies that earned more than 1 trillion won ($880,000) in the first half of this year in South Korea downsized their workforce and Samsung Group laid off the highest number of employees.

Samsung Group is the conglomerate’s umbrella under which all of its 50-plus affiliates operate. Its battery-making affiliate Samsung SDI announced last year that it would lay off around 12,000 senior employees by 2016. Samsung Electronics had 95,420 employees in the first half of this year, down 3,579 workers from the same time last year. Nearly 2,000 workers were laid off from Samsung Heavy Industries, Samsung Electro-Mechanics and Samsung SDI as well.

This is all part of Samsung’s efforts to restructure its conglomerate and focus more on its core businesses, a leaner organization is certainly one of the ways to go about it.

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South Korea launches separate investigation to ascertain the cause of Galaxy Note 7 fires

Samsung has been hard at work trying to find out what caused replacement Galaxy Note 7 units to burn up in the same way that recalled units did. Recent reports claim that the company is clueless about the cause and it has promised to make more details public in the coming weeks. The South Korean government has now launched a separate investigation into the matter.

The state-run Korea Testing Laboratory has received five Galaxy Note 7 units that caught fire in the country from Samsung. The lab is going to use X-ray and computerized tomography in a bid to determine precisely what caused these handsets to catch fire. “We have handed over the phones (that caught fire) to KTL and will cooperate with their investigation, but we can’t just sit and wait for its result,” a Samsung official said, adding that the company has been mobilizing all possible resources to find the cause that led to the Galaxy Note 7′s demise “as soon as possible.”

Samsung’s mobile chief has already said that he would find out the cause at any cost just to restore consumer trust and confidence in the company’s products. It’s going to take a lot to convince many users that Samsung smartphones can be used without any safety issues.

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AT&T offers screen repairs for the Galaxy Note 4, the Galaxy S5 and the Galaxy S6

No matter how tough and durable the screens on our smartphones get every year we always tend to break them. When you do break your smartphone’s screen it’s always best to get it repaired by a professional and that can prove to be tricky if you start searching for places which can fix a screen online. If you happen to own one of these devices on AT&T, starting November 15 you will be able to get their screen repaired from the carrier itself.

This repair service is limited to AT&T customers with the Mobile Insurance, Mobile Protection Pack, Mobile Protection Pack for Business, or Multi-Device Protection Pack plans. A $89 deductible has to be paid for the privilege after which a certified technician will be dispatched to fix your handset on the spot. AT&T will provide a 12-month warranty on all repairs. The Galaxy Note 4, the Galaxy S5 and the Galaxy S6 are the only three Android smartphones that are currently supported in this program, it’s unclear when the carrier plans on adding more recent devices like the Galaxy S7. This repair service is only available in 15 cities across the United States and will be expanded to an additional 29 by December 1.

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Samsung reportedly denied Gear VR refund to Note 7 customer because it works with other devices

Samsung is providing lots of options to those who are in possession of the discontinued Galaxy Note 7. They can opt for an exchange with another Samsung smartphone, pick any other smartphone sold by its carrier and retail partners, or just get a full refund for the failed flagship. The company is apparently not being that generous with those who purchased the new Gear VR for the Galaxy Note 7. One such customer says that he was denied a Gear VR refund by Samsung because the handset works with other Samsung devices as well.

Said customer purchased his Gear VR directly from Samsung after ordering the Galaxy Note 7 in August. He participated in the first replacement program to get a what was then claimed to be a safe unit. Now that the flagship has been discontinued and Oculus has disabled Gear VR support for the Galaxy Note 7, the headset is of no use to the customer but Samsung doesn’t seem to be willing to process the refund.

A service rep told him that Samsung won’t process the refund because the Gear VR is “supported by other Samsung phones,” and that he’s out of the 30-day return window. When you think about it, the rep isn’t wrong, the Gear VR does work very well with other phones and Samsung is already providing monetary incentives of up to $100 to customers who exchange the Galaxy Note 7 for the Galaxy S7 or S7 edge.

The customer argues that he’s no longer interested in purchasing a Samsung device so the headset is of no use to him, but an argument can be made that Samsung has drawn a line when it comes to refunds for the Galaxy Note 7 and that it would be a bit too much to ask the company to treat two separate purchases as one. What do you think, should Samsung process the refund even though the Gear VR was bought separately and it had no way to ascertain whether the customer was buying it just because he bought the Galaxy Note 7 as well?

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