90 percent of Galaxy Note 7 owners are sticking by the handset

Slowly but surely, Samsung is collecting up and dishing out Galaxy Note 7 replacements following the battery issues that I’m sure you’re all familiar with by now. This whole saga hasn’t deterred the Samsung faithful though, as the company reports that a whopping 90 percent of Note 7 owners have taken up the company on the offer of a replacement Galaxy Note 7.

When Samsung announced the Galaxy Note 7 recall just over three weeks ago, the company offered consumers the option of a replacement Galaxy Note 7, exchanging the phone for a Galaxy S7 or S7 edge, or a full refund. Rather than opting for an alternative Galaxy or a refund with which to potentially buy an alternative flagship smartphone, the vast majority of consumers have stuck with the Galaxy Note 7 in faith that Samsung will fix the issue promptly. This is certainly an encouraging sign for a company that is undoubted concerned about the impact that the recall will have on the company finances and reputation.

“Just over three weeks ago, Samsung committed to a global replacement program for the Galaxy Note7. Last week, that program began for the majority of markets and the progress is encouraging. Our focus now is to make sure that all affected devices are replaced as quickly and efficiently as possible.” – DJ Koh, President of Mobile Communications Business, Samsung Electronics.

Samsung also boasts that 80 percent of customers have taken the company up on its exchange offer in Singapore, and we know that more than 70 percent of Canadians have returned their phones. However, Samsung still appears to be having some trouble encouraging a large number of consumers to return their potentially dangerous handsets in the US and South Korea. The company can only claim that “more than 60 percent” of handsets in these countries have been successfully recalled. This is despite the fact that the company has issued a software update that limits battery capacity and encourages customers to return their phone.

In South Korea, Samsung has actually delayed returning the Note 7 to store shelves so as not to deter the stragglers from returning their phones. Some consumers appear to be awaiting the arrival of replacement models before turning their Note 7 in, and the 500,000 phones now in the US will hopefully further boost the number of returns before the smartphone is due to go back on sale in the country in late October. However, it would be wise to return the handset as soon as possible, firstly for safety but also because it’s not clear how much longer Samsung will offer the choice of a full refund.

Have you returned your Galaxy Note 7, and did you opt for a replacement or a refund?