Samsung Forced to Apologize to China Even Though Their Galaxy Note 7s Didn’t Explode

October 3, 2016

A few days after the Galaxy Note 7 was launched, Samsung was forced to issue a massive recall in several markets due to reported battery safety issues that have caused some units to catch fire, according to Consumerist.

The issue however was not found in the phones released in China. That is why the company did not find it necessary to issue a recall of the units in the country.

Chinese consumers thought differently though, with most complaining that the company doesn’t value the safety of customers in China. Due to the unwarranted backlash, Samsung was forced to write a letter of apology to its Chinese customers even if their phones were safe in the first place, Quartz reported.

Apologizing for any “confusion and worries” caused to Chinese consumers due to the reports of exploding Galaxy Note 7 devices elsewhere, the letter issued on Thursday is highly indicative of the importance of the Chinese market to the South Korean company. Almost 325 million Samsung phones were sold to China last year, which saw a huge jump from previous years.

Parts of the letter, as translated by Quartz, read:

“We take the Galaxy Note 7 explosions in China very seriously. When facing each incident, we always immediately, proactively contact the user and obtain the relevant information. With the user’s permission, we then work together with the battery supplier and third-party testing organizations to carry out a complete examination of the device.

Right now, preliminary results from the tests we’ve performed on phones we have received show that the internal battery shows no signs of exploding. Meanwhile, in line with our fair and transparent principles, we also have invited overseas and domestic third-party testing companies CTTL and Exponent to conduct additional tests.

The tests show that the burnt parts were not located in the battery section, and the battery did not show any signs of exploding. They determined that external heat outside the internal system caused phones to explode. These results are in line with our initial tests. As we continue to receive more reports of exploding devices, we will continue to use the same process to conduct similar tests, and will report to the relevant government bureaus and release the test results publicly.”

After explaining that the phones supplied to China did not have any problems, it reiterated the apology before closing:

“Samsung Electronics will continue to stick to our promise to be ‘A company favored by Chinese people that contributes to Chinese society,’ and continue to value quality and service as number one. We hope to bring the best products and experiences to Chinese consumers.

“For any confusion or anxiety we have caused Chinese consumers, we once again express our deep apologies, and sincerely hope everyone continues to support Samsung Electronics.”

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