As the Galaxy Note 7 battery drama is somewhat winding down and Samsung’s latest phablet is slowly returning to stores worldwide, the consequences of the entire ordeal are finally coming to light. According to results of an online survey conducted by the e-commerce technology company Branding Brand, more than a third of all Galaxy Note 7 buyers have vowed to never purchase another Samsung phone again, following the revelations that their new flagship has a faulty battery which makes it potentially dangerous. Out of the 34% of Galaxy Note 7 owners who’ve stated that they’re leaving the brand, 51% said they will switch to another Android OEM while 34% said they’re getting an iPhone next. The rest were still unsure about their next smartphone.
Even though these numbers are certainly alarming for Samsung, it’s worth noting that the survey was only conducted on a sample of 1,000 US-based Galaxy Note 7 owners. While the sample was representative, it’s still way too small to draw any definitive conclusions, especially in light of Samsung’s recent revelation that 90% of all Note 7 customers worldwide who’ve already returned their faulty devices decided to give the phablet another chance. Of course, that percentage may be significantly lower once the remaining Note 7 owners return their phones but for now, the jury’s still out on how much damage Samsung will have to endure because of the Galaxy Note 7 situation.
The South Korean consumer electronics manufacturer did provide some information some time ago on the cause of the issue with much of the blame seemingly pointed towards its battery-making division, Samsung SDI. Although with newer cases now starting to hit the headlines again, it is unclear if there is a more wide-spread and underlying issue at play. In any case, we should have more information on the subject as time goes on. For now, if you still own one of the recalled devices, then make sure to return your Galaxy Note 7 if you haven’t already and see whether your replacement unit features a green battery icon on the status bar, lock screen, and the restart screen – as that green piece of artwork confirms that your unit is one of the newer and therefore, safer units.