Samsung acknowledges charging issues with Galaxy Note 8 and S8 devices

Update #2 (1/1/18): Although we still don’t know why some Galaxy S8 and Galaxy Note 8 units are having charging issues, Samsung is at least acknowledging it. Speaking to PCWelt.de, Samsung issued the following statement:

Samsung takes all reports of this kind, of course, seriously. We have received only a very small number of customer inquiries that can be linked to charge management. Unfortunately, we can only comment on the matter further, if we have more detailed information about the affected devices.

As a reminder, Samsung is replacing affected devices on a case-by-case basis. A moderator on Samsung’s forums stated that users should get their phone replaced if the issue shows up on their device. If yours won’t charge, be sure to contact the carrier you bought it from or Samsung directly if you have an unlocked unit.

Update #1, (12/27) 17:49: According to a number of our readers in the comments, as well as a friend of Android Authority’s, the Galaxy S8 Plus is experiencing similar battery issues. We’ll investigate this issue further.

Of course, if you or anyone you know have experienced this issue, please leave a comment below.

It’s now just over a year since Samsung prematurely killed off the Galaxy Note 7 after a batch of defective batteries caused numerous devices to “explode” – in the process doing immeasurable damage to the Note brand and forcing the South Korean giant to overhaul its battery safety checks.

Since then, the Galaxy S8, S8 Plus and, most significantly, the reborn Note 8 have been praised by fans and reviewers alike, have sold by the bucketload, and have avoided any major battery problems on the scale of the Note 7 debacle.

While it doesn’t seem to be anywhere near as dangerous, Samsung may have another battery related headache on its hands, however, as some Galaxy Note 8 are reporting that their phones are refusing to accept any charge.

According to a number of users on Samsung’s Community Forums (via PiunikaWeb), the issue occurs after the phone falls to 0% battery and switches off. At this point, affected Note 8 devices apparently won’t accept charge and become completely unresponsive. This includes the LED charging light in most cases.

One user even recorded a video showing an attempt to revive a defective phone to no avail. Many of the impacted users have also tried several charging cables and attempted to reboot the dead phone in safe mode, but most have had no success.

Thankfully, Samsung is responding to those affected in most cases. In one thread, a moderator going by the handle ‘SamsungMel’ is advising customers to return their faulty phones for a warranty replacement, saying that “this particular problem with the Note 8 not turning on is definitely something that we want to get addressed immediately.”

As PiunikaWeb notes, it’s hard to tell how widespread the issue is at this stage, but Samsung will certainly want to pinpoint the source and resolve the fault quickly to alleviate any concerns that it has shipped another batch of faulty batteries.

The problem also appears to be affecting some phones sold via carriers, with Verizon, Sprint, and T-Mobile customers all posting similar concerns. If that’s the case with your Note 8 I’d suggest you go through your carrier’s RMA process as soon as you can.

Has your Note 8 stopped working after losing charge? Let us know in the comments.