With Samsung Galaxy Note 7 Exploding, We Ask Are Other Smartphones Safe?

Until Samsung has worked out what that issue is, it’s unclear what other devices from either Samsung’s competitors, or perhaps upcoming Samsung products, could also be affected.

Associated Press

Updated:October 12, 2016, 7:34 PM IST

With Samsung Galaxy Note 7 Exploding, We Ask Are Other Smartphones Safe?

Until Samsung has worked out what that issue is, it’s unclear what other devices from either Samsung’s competitors, or perhaps upcoming Samsung products, could also be affected. (Image: AP Photo)

Industry analysts said on Tuesday that confusion over the exact cause of defect in Samsung's fire prone Note 7 smart phones will continue to damage Samsung’s brand image.

Samsung Electronics said earlier in the day that it would stop making the Note 7 for good. It now faces the challenge of repairing the damage from its bungled recalls.

Ian Fogg, Senior Analyst and head of mobile at IHS Technology in London said, “Samsung originally thought it was the battery, that was the problem, from a particular supplier, they clearly didn’t diagnose that correctly because the replacement smartphones have had the same symptoms. Until Samsung has worked out what that issue is, it’s unclear what other devices from either Samsung’s competitors, or perhaps upcoming Samsung products, could also be affected.”

He stresses that similar technology across many of the top smart phone manufacturers means other brands will also be scrambling to find out if any of their own products will be affected.

“Every smartphone maker now is trying to prolong the battery life of the smartphone, by having larger capacity batteries, improved battery performance, quicker charging, and that obviously is pushing the envelope of innovation and again every smartphone maker will probably be looking at their products to understand if they could be at risk of a similar defect to the one that Samsung has had with the Note 7," added Fogg.

However, he also said that instead of Apple, Chinese phone brand Huawei may be best poised to benefit off the back of Samsung’s plummeting reputation.

"Because Samsung now is in trouble, because it’s brand has been damaged, Huawei will be looking to pick up shipment volumes across their entire range,” he said.