Software version N930VVRS3APL2 is being rolled out to all Verizon-branded Samsung Galaxy Note 7 devices from today. This update will effectively disable the device by preventing it from recharging the battery and preventing it from connecting to the network. Once the device battery runs down to 0%, the device will only power up when connected to the mains: the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 will no longer be a ‘mobile’ phone. The software update is being pushed to all Verizon Samsung Galaxy Note 7 devices to disable the battery because of safety issues: Samsung’s worry is that the Galaxy Note 7 device can be dangerous when the battery is being used. We have known that this software version is being released for some weeks now and the other three national American carriers, AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile US, have (or are) also releasing the same battery-killing software update for the Samsung Galaxy Note 7. A few weeks ago Verizon Wireless had explained that they were not going to disable the handset during the busy holiday period, potentially leaving customers unable to call or connected with loved ones. Now that the holidays are officially over and people are returning to work, Verizon has released the software update.
The Samsung Galaxy Note 7 was Samsung’s late 2016 flagship smartphone. The device was launched in August but was swiftly recalled because a number of customers had reported that the devices were exploding when being recharged or even during normal use. Samsung replaced all sold Galaxy Note 7 devices at this stage and the replacement smartphones used a different rechargeable battery. Unfortunately, the replacement Samsung Galaxy Note 7 devices still had the same issue, or perhaps worse as customers all over the world reported that the devices were smoking or catching fire seemingly at random. Samsung elected to recall all Galaxy Note 7 smartphones and refund customers, encouraging them to upgrade to another Samsung Galaxy smartphone. As of now, Samsung has yet to clarify or confirm the exact cause of the exploding battery problem, although we should have this news by the end of the month.
Meanwhile, Samsung have received over 90% of all sold Galaxy Note 7 devices, giving them both a recycling and customer loyalty headache to deal with. The failure of the Galaxy Note 7 smartphone may have caused Samsung to redesign the early 2017 flagship Galaxy S8 smartphone, whereby we may be seeing a device with a 5.0-inch display size and another in the 5.7-inch display camp, perhaps with the Samsung S Pen stylus. It is also unclear if Samsung will continue the Galaxy Note brand going forwards.