Samsung Galaxy Note 7 replacement drive in UK and Ireland kicks off

Samsung started the Galaxy Note 7 exchange programme in the UK and Ireland on 19 September (Tuesday). Now, consumers can take advantage of the programme and replace their existing phones with a brand new one.

The exchange drive comes after Samsung stopped sales and shipment of Note 7 on 2 September, following an investigation which revealed that the devices were exploding while being charged due to an issue related to an isolated battery cell.

Samsung, based on its investigation, assures consumers the battery issue has been completely resolved in the new units that are now available in the UK and Ireland starting this week.

Along with replacing the affected devices, Samsung is also introducing additional security measures that it says would enhance consumer safety. The company will issue a new software update to Note 7 devices in the Europe that would limit the battery charge to 60%. The update programme will begin from 20 September starting with users in UK and Ireland. The main purpose of limiting the ability to charge to full capacity is to reduce the risk of incidents.

In addition to this, consumers can also enter their phone's IMEI number through a dedicated webpage to confirm that they have the new device. The IMEI number is located on the back of the Note 7. You can also manually find it by going to Settings>> About phone or General Management>> Status>> IMEI information or serial number.

Click here how to identify new Galaxy Note 7 that is safe without battery issue using IMEI number.

Any Note 7 that has a green battery icon, which was white previously, on the notification bar, power off prompt or on the Always On Display screen, is safe for charging. The change in the battery colour is due to a new UX update specially designed for the battery icon. The UX update will also be available in both the countries from 20 September.

Conor Pierce, vice president of IT & Mobile Samsung electronics UK & Ireland said: "Our absolute priority is the safety of our customers – that's why we are asking all Galaxy Note7 customers to act now and exchange today."

"We would like to apologise to our Note7 customers for not meeting the standard of product excellence that they have come to expect from Samsung and we sincerely thank them for their understanding and patience. We are confident that by exchanging their existing device for a new Note7, customers can expect to enjoy a smartphone experience of the very highest quality," added Pierce.