Samsung to replace faulty Galaxy Note 7 in Oman

Muscat: People who bought Galaxy Note 7 in Oman will be allowed to replace their smartphones with new ones in two to three weeks, an official at Samsung Oman said.
The company has already discussed the matter on Sunday with the Telecommunication Regulatory Authority (TRA) following reports about the device’s faulty batteries that can catch fire and even explode.
Shops have stopped selling Galaxy Note 7 all across the Sultanate and will only resume marketing the smartphone after receiving the new stock.
“The new shipment will arrive in two weeks,” the source confirmed, explaining that Samsung immediately stopped the sale when the problem cropped up.
“Although the number of affected phones may seem like a drop of water in an ocean, Samsung will not take any risks as the consumers’ safety is a priority,” he stressed.
The TRA issued a statement saying, “the TRA announces the suspension of applications for the type approval of the Samsung (Galaxy Note 7) due to the risks of the battery catching fire while charging. Should there be any update on this issue the TRA will advise the public of the same.”
“Things go wrong. That’s the reality of life,” said Laura Ries, president of brand-strategy firm Ries & Ries. “What matters is how you deal with it. For a high-end product, that means you go out of your way to give people replacements, get out in front and handle the problem.”
In recent months, Samsung has been expanding its already considerable market share. The company shipped 77 million smartphones in the second quarter,cornering a market share of 22.4 per cent, up from 73 million or 21.3 per cent share a year ago, according to the IDC.
Apple’s shipments dropped 15 per cent, leaving it with an 11.8 per cent market share.
Huawei posted an 8.4 per cent increase and OPPO more than doubled its shipments from a year earlier.
The recall could rob Samsung of momentum it had built by capitalising on a lull in demand for iPhones between new models.
Sales of the Note 7 will be halted in 10 countries, Koh Dong Jin, head of Samsung’s mobile division, said Friday. He said there are about 2.5 million units in the hands of users and carriers.
Battery problem
Lee Seung Woo, an analyst at IBK Securities Co. in Seoul, estimates that about 1 million handsets are affected by the battery problem, with about 600,000 sold overseas.
He expects shipments of the Note 7 this year will shrink to 12 million units from a previous estimate of 14 million units.
“The unexpected recall would surely irritate buyers and the latest incident looks worrisome,” Lee said.