Samsung has been forced to suspend all shipments of its brand new Note 7 smartphone, after a number of customers reported that the devices suddenly caught fire.
Sales of about million units have been confirmed across South Korea and the US. It is understood that somewhere in the region of 500 devices have been purchased in Ireland.
Shortly after the launch of the product, images started appearing on social media, showing Note 7 devices with charred screens. An initial investigation by the company found that the batteries provided by one of its two suppliers may have been faulty. As a result, the company will halt production until the problem is resolved.
Anyone who may have bought a Note 7 can return it to the point of sale, where it will be replaced free of charge.
The incident has wiped out a large chunk of the company’s value, to the tune of €6.3bn.