In order to stop its Galaxy Note 7 phones from exploding, Samsung is allegedly readying a software update that will cap battery capacity at 60%.
That's coming from a South Korean newspaper where Samsung took out an ad to announce the update, according to the Associated Press.
By limiting the battery capacity of recalled Note 7s, Samsung hopes to reduce the chance of explosions due to overheating. This isn't a guarantee that the phone won't explode, and will serve more as a reminder for owners to exchange their phones.
"It is a measure to put consumer safety first but we apologize for causing inconvenience," reads the ad. Samsung plans to start rolling out the update in Korea on September 20, and there's currently no information on whether it will be released globally. We've asked Samsung for more details, and will update this post if we hear back.
Meanwhile, Yonhap News Agency reports that Samsung is in talks with mobile carriers to deliver the battery-capping update to protect users while its massive Note 7 recall gets underway.
Recall headache
Samsung issued a global recall of its Galaxy Note 7 phones after numerous reports surface of the device exploding while charging. The phones were deemed dangerous enough that US Consumer Product Safety Commission and the Federal Aviation Administration both issued warnings to stop using the devices, including while on board aircraft.
The recall is so massive that it will reportedly cost Samsung an estimated $1 billion to replace all affected Galaxy Note 7 phones and to compensate its customers.
Adding insult to injury, the Note 7 fiasco has sent Samsung shares tumbling while chief rival Apple celebrates the iPhone 7 launch. For its sake, Samsung needs to resolve the Note 7 issues quickly before the new iPhone steals more of its thunder.
