May 02, 2024

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[THE INVESTOR] Tech giant Samsung Electronics will unveil the results of its probe into the fire-prone Galaxy Note 7 next week, according to sources on Jan. 19.

Samsung’s smartphone business chief Koh Dong-jin -- who issued an apology when the firm decided to recall the troubled smartphone on Sept. 2 -- will announce the results in a media briefing at 10 a. m. on Jan. 23 at the head office building in Seocho-dong, southern Seoul. 

The probe results come at a critical moment for the world’s largest smartphone maker, which is preparing for the release of the upcoming Galaxy S8 smartphone as early as March.

It was widely thought that the Note 7 had problems with the hardware design or software, but Samsung is said to have concluded that the fire and explosion of the smartphone was caused by flaws related to the battery, according to sources.

Samsung has conducted a series of its own investigations while requesting outside laboratories, including Korea Testing Laboratory, for testing the now-recalled Note 7 to find the exact cause.

In September, Samsung initially said that the Note 7 caught fire because of faulty batteries that failed to block the energy flow between positive and negative elements.

The state-run Korean Agency for Technology and Standards, which has been conducting its own investigation into the Samsung smartphone, will also announce its results in the coming weeks.

By Kim Young-won (wone0102@heraldcorp.com)