As Samsung looks to publicly move past the Note7 debacle with a series of upcoming carrier updates designed to brick any remaining devices, the company is also moving forward with its internal investigation of the issue.
According to a report from South Korea-based The Investor, Samsung has wrapped up its probe of the phablet’s exploding batteries.
Very few details are offered in the report, but the publication says Samsung’s findings have been sent to the appropriate agencies, Korea Testing Laboratory and U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration-approved UL.
Thus far, Samsung has been mostly mum on the cause of Note7 fires around the world, but independent third-party investigations have pointed to the devices’ extreme thinness as a likely culprit. A representative for Samsung did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Investor also reports that Samsung mobile president Koh Dong-jin sent out an email last week urging employees to tighten security measures surrounding the upcoming Galaxy S8.
“I feel deeply regretful to hear news of the recent attempts at data breach and prototype leak,” he wrote, as rumors continue to spread out about the company’s next flagship phone. “Samsung had a bitter experience due to the leak of important data—on product design and business strategies—to China and consequently suffered damages in the past.”
It’s unclear exactly what incident Koh is referring to, but rumors and leaks are nothing new in the smartphone sphere, particularly with a high-profile company like Samsung.
Recent Galaxy S8 rumors have pegged the S8 to have an “all-screen design” with a virtual home button. The device has also been tipped to dump the headphone jack, following in the footsteps of a controversial move by Apple with the iPhone 7.
Additional reports suggest Samsung is spending a little more time developing the Galaxy S8, presumably to run additional quality tests following the Note7’s woes.
A recent report from South Korea-based Naver suggests the launch might be pushed back until April instead of its usual slot at Mobile World Congress.
What this matters: With dozens of reports of fires and explosions, and a massive recall still underway, Samsung needs to be as transparent as possible about both the cause and the solution to the Note7’s battery woes.
As the launch of the Galaxy S8 nears, the company needs to be clear and forthright about what it is doing to ensure future devices are safe to use and charge. If the investigation is indeed concluded, a statement from the company would go a long way toward easing customers’ minds.
