Samsung Galaxy Note 7 Recall: How To Get A New Smartphone As Early As Next Week

On Friday morning, Samsung announced it would be halting sales for the Galaxy Note 7 and issuing a recall for 2.5 million devices after numerous reports of the smartphone catching on fire while charging. The South Korean company has now released another statement outlining how U.S. customers can exchange their devices for new ones—and said customers may be able to get their new smartphones "as early as next week."

As per the U.S. Product Exchange Program for Galaxy Note 7 owners, consumers who own the device have two options: to exchange the existing phone for a new one, or to swap the device for a Galaxy S7 or Galaxy S7 edge—the latter also includes the refund and replacement of any Note 7 specific accessories.

“Samsung is taking a proactive approach to address customer needs around the Note7,” said Tim Baxter, president of Samsung Electronics America, in a statement . “We are encouraging customers to exchange their Note7 by taking advantage of our Product Exchange Program. The safety and satisfaction of our customers is Samsung’s top priority.”

According to The Associated Press, the battery cells produced at one of Samsung’s two battery suppliers have problems. Koh Dong-jin, president of Samsung's mobile business, told reporters in a news conference that an investigation revealed “there was a tiny problem in the manufacturing process so it was very difficult to find out,” which is likely responsible for the reported phones catching on fire.

“To date (as of September 1) there have been 35 cases that have been reported globally and we are currently conducting a thorough inspection with our suppliers to identify possible affected batteries in the market,” wrote Samsung in its preliminary statement. “However, because our customers’ safety is an absolute priority at Samsung, we have stopped sales of the Galaxy Note7.”