- Title: Samsung users in France mixed after Galaxy Note 7 recall
- Date: 11th October 2016
- Summary: PARIS, FRANCE (OCTOBER 11, 2016) (REUTERS) SMARTPHONE SAMSUNG GALAXY S7 EDGE ADVERTISING IN PARISIAN STREET SAMSUNG SHOP IN PARIS SAMSUNG SIGN SAMSUNG SMARTPHONE ON DISPLAY SAMSUNG GALAXY NOTE 7 ON DISPLAY SHOP STAFF IN SAMSUNG SHOP GALAXY SIGN SAMSUNG CUSTOMER EXITING SHOP (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRENCH SAMSUNG CUSTOMER FROM CORSICA, NICOLAS, SAYING: "I have a positive opinion, everyone has an Apple nowadays, Apple, Apple, Apple, and I'm a bit different so I wanted a Samsung and I'm satisfied. I think they will succeed to resolve the batteries' dysfunction. You know recently a famous brand of electric cars also had batteries dysfunctions so it's part of the tests. It's like the first space rocket trying to reach the moon. And one day it will sort itself out and Samsung will continue to progress." VIEW OF GALAXY NOTE 7 IN SHOP (SOUNDBITE) (French) PARISIAN SAMSUNG CUSTOMER, LAURENT, SAYING: "It's happened regularly with the mother board for example. I changed it three times on different models. So they have to re-think this. Otherwise the products are good. It's a bit tiring that after two years on a model which is quite costly, over 700 euros, I'm forced to send it back in for repair, so there you go." VARIOUS INTERIORS OF SAMSUNG SHOP
- Embargoed: 26th October 2016 11:32
- Keywords: Samsung smartphone Paris Galaxy recall
- Location: PARIS, FRANCE
- City: PARIS, FRANCE
- Country: France
- Topics: Company News Markets,Economic Events
- Reuters ID: LVA00153K98P3
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Electronic giant Samsung scrapped its flagship Galaxy Note 7 smartphone on Tuesday (October 11) less than two months after its launch, dealing a huge blow to its reputation and outlook after failing to resolve safety concerns.
Samsung announced the recall of 2.5 million Note 7s in early September following numerous reports of the phones catching fire and on Tuesday it finally pulled the plug on the $882 device in what could be one of the costliest product safety failures in tech history.
At a Samsung store in Paris, where the sale of the Note 7 was suspended in September, business seemed to be going on as normal.
Customers were seen going in and out and making purchases.
"I have a positive opinion, everyone has an Apple nowadays, Apple, Apple, Apple, and I'm a bit different so I wanted a Samsung and I'm satisfied. I think they will succeed to resolve the batteries' dysfunction. You know recently a famous brand of electric cars also had batteries dysfunctions so it's part of the tests. It's like the first space rocket trying to reach the moon. And one day it will sort itself out and Samsung will continue to progress," said Parisian customer Nicolas, unfazed about the news.
The premium device, launched in August, was supposed to compete with Apple Inc.'s (AAPL.O) latest iPhone for supremacy in the smartphone market. Well received by critics, its first problem was a shortage as pre-orders overwhelmed supply.
But within days of the launch images of charred Note 7s began appearing on social media, in the first sign that something was seriously amiss with the gadget.
Samsung's decision to pull Note 7s off the shelves not only raises fresh doubts about the firm's quality control but could result in huge financial and reputational costs.
Analysts say a permanent end to Note 7 sales could cost Samsung up to $17 billion and tarnish its other phone products in the minds of consumers and carriers.
Another Paris customer said he had had other problems with Samsung products in the past and said he planned to look elsewhere for his next device.
"It's happened regularly with the mother board for example. I changed it three times on different models. So they have to re-think this. Otherwise the products are good. It's a bit tiring that after two years on a model which is quite costly, over 700 euros, I'm forced to send it back in for repair, so there you go," said Laurent.
The South Korean firm did not comment on whether it had identified the cause of the fires in the replacement devices, although officials in Seoul said it was looking at several possibilities including the batteries. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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