Summary created by Smart Answers AI
In summary:
- Tech Advisor reports a Samsung Galaxy S24 allegedly exploded in a user’s hand in South Korea, causing minor burns and prompting a forensic investigation by Samsung.
- This incident recalls the 2016 Galaxy Note 7 recall crisis and raises concerns about ongoing battery safety issues despite Samsung’s eight-point safety checks.
- The explosion occurred during normal internet browsing with supporting evidence including medical records, witness accounts, and authorities finding signs of lithium battery ignition.
Memories of Samsung’s infamous Galaxy Note 7 battery issue have been invoked by an alarming Galaxy S24 incident.
Over in South Korea, a Samsung Galaxy S24 user has posted an astonishing claim on Reddit.
User chocho-789 claims that on 11 May (that’s this Monday just gone), “My Galaxy S24 suddenly emitted smoke, extreme heat, and exploded in my hand while I was using it normally to search the internet.”
They note that the phone wasn’t charging, nor had it sustained any drop damage prior to the incident. It had never been repaired or opened up, either.
The Galaxy S24 user (victim?) has supplied pictorial evidence of the scorched handset on fire on the floor, as well as its scorched carcass after the event. They claim to have video footage, too, and they insist that third parties witnessed the explosion.
chocho-789 on Reddit
There are also medical records to back up the claim, as the user sustained minor burn blisters and exhibited smoke inhalation symptoms.
Apparently, the phone had been purchased as an official unlocked Galaxy S24 through Samsung Partners in South Korea on 11 June 11, 2024.
Samsung has yet to issue a statement on this incident, though a local Samsung service centre representative has been in contact with the user. Samsung will apparently collect the device and conduct a thorough forensic investigation to determine the cause of the failure.
An explosive history
According to the post, local fire authorities responded to the incident and found that there were “signs consistent with lithium battery ignition”.
That’ll doubtless cause alarm to Samsung Mobile. Back in October of 2016, just a month or so after its launch, the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 was officially discontinued and recalled following a spate of incidents in which the battery caught fire and exploded.
Samsung subsequently implemented an eight-point battery safety check for all of its phones. However, various incidents concerning Samsung devices batteries have cropped up in the years immediately following that event.
Recently, a Galaxy Ring battery swelled up and meant the user (a tech YouTuber no less) was denied bording a flight and had to get the smart ring medically removed at a hospital.
Foundry
Anecdotally, I checked in on a bunch of older phones that I had in storage a couple of years ago, and found that the batteries of several Samsung phones (most notably a Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra) had swollen and cracked their way out of their casings.
It’s this troubled history that prompts us to report on what we would otherwise dismiss as a one-off freak event. To be clear, there is no clear indication that this incident signifies a wider issue with Samsung Galaxy phones.
Given the brand’s rap sheet, however, we’ll be keeping an eye on those Samsung Galaxy Reddit posts.
