SEOUL: Samsung told customers worldwide Tuesday to stop using their Galaxy Note 7 smartphones as it struggled to contain a snowballing safety crisis that threatens to derail the powerhouse global brand.
The South Korean conglomerate also called a halt to worldwide sales and exchanges of the troubled Note 7s, as the federal US consumer regulator issued an alarming warning of the possible dangers the device posed to its owners, their families and homes.
The news slammed Samsung’s share price, which plunged by as much as 4.8 percent in early morning trade.
Tuesday’s announcement came a little over a month after the world’s largest smartphone maker announced a recall of 2.5 million Note 7s in 10 markets following complaints that its lithium-ion battery exploded while charging.
The unprecedented move has turned into a PR disaster for the company, which prides itself on innovation and quality, and the situation only worsened when reports emerged a week ago of replacement phones also catching fire.
