Samsung is doing this because the handset is unsafe; it doesn’t want any more explosions – that would be bad.
Samsung is encouraging all Galaxy Note 7 users that are still using their handsets to stop immediately and send them back in for whatever fate Samsung has in store for them.
The kill switch update, which is expected to appear on December 19, is simply a safety measure to ensure ALL Galaxy Note 7 handsets, especially rogue units, are terminated. The software update will prevent the handset from charging and effectively brick it.
Of the ALL the Galaxy Note 7 handsets sold, 93% have been coque Huawei Honor 5A returned. These means there are still quite a lot of units left in the wild and this, of course, is a safety hazard and Samsung wants to nip this situation in the bud as quickly and painlessly as possible.
You cannot take a Galaxy Note 7 on a plane, for instance, it doesn’t matter if it’s in hand luggage or checked bags. Once these puppies started blowing up, the aviation industry, rightfully, took a hardline approach and implemented a strict ban on them.
Verizon, however, is NOT playing ball. According to an official statement from the carrier, it WILL NOT push out the update to its network-branded Galaxy Note 7 handsets. Here’s the official line via Verizon:
“Verizon will not be taking part in this update because of the added risk etui Huawei Honor 5 this could pose to Galaxy Note7 users that do not have another device to switch to. We will not push a software upgrade that will eliminate the ability for the Note7 to work as a mobile device in the heart of the holiday travel season. We do not want to make it impossible to contact family, first responders or medical professionals in an emergency situation.”
It is, however, still unclear what the exact root cause of the problem actually was. We know it was the battery, but we do not know the specifics – and this is something that Samsung needs to address in the future.