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Amazon takes on Spotify with own music streaming service

Alexandra Arici
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Rumors about Amazon prepping its own on-demand music streaming service have been popping up online ever since January. Fast-forward a few months later and Amazon’s new Music Unlimited is already here and ready for action.

The service will be competing against popular alternatives such as Spotify, Apple Music or Google Play Music. Music Unlimited is a paid service that costs $8 per month, or $80 a year for members of the Amazon’s Prime loyalty program.

Those of you who are not Prime members will be asked to take $10 out of your pockets on a monthly basis if you want to enjoy the perks of Music Unlimited. It’s the same fee charged by Spotify and Apple Music.

Amazon Echo users will be able to get the service for a low $4 a month – the cheapest anyone has ever had to pay to get access to unlimited on-demand music. With this move, the e-commerce giant is obviously trying to attract more attention to Echo, a speaker with access to Amazon’s virtual assistant, Alexa.

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A family plan – to be made available later this year – will allow a group of six people to gain access to the Music Unlimited for $14.99 a month or $149 a year.

Even with the paid music subscription ecosystem being a rather crowded field, Amazon is doing its best to differentiate Music Unlimited from the competition. Offering the ultra-affordable “for Echo” and putting an emphasis on voice commands are part of the strategy.

https://www.androidguys.com/buyers-guide-headphones/

Amazon Music Unlimited is home to “tens of millions of songs” selected from major and indie labels. The service is also be offering recommendations, algorithmic or hand-picked playlists and the option to search for songs by lyrics.

Now if you have an Amazon Echo laying around the house, Music Unlimited becomes even more exciting. At launch, the service will be bundled with behind-the-scenes artist commentaries, called Side-by-Sides featuring The Chainsmokers, Jason Aldean, Lindsey Stirling, Sting, Norah Jones, One Republic and Kongos. More will be added in the future.

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More than that, you can put Alexa to good work. For instance, you can simply ask it to play “God Is An Astronaut’s new song” and then hear the tune in question. You can also request a certain type of music suited to a particular mood. If it’s a rainy day outside, you can just say “Alexa, play melancholic music.” You can formulate the same request to include a particular genre of music, let’s say “Alexa, play some electronic music”.

Buyer’s Guide: Earbuds

It should also be noted the “for Echo” monthly subscription can work in combination with other two Amazon speakers, the Amazon Echo Dot and Amazon Tap. The former is a lot cheaper than the $180 Echo and is also powered by Alexa.

Amazon has already tried its hand at offering a music service. Remember Prime Music? It was provided free of charge to all Prime subscribers but offered a limited song catalog and wasn’t exactly intuitive. Music Unlimited is certainly a positive development if you don’t mind the additional fee.

Amazon has launched the new service in the United States today, but it will soon make it available overseas in the UK, Germany, and Austria.

New battery flaw found in Galaxy Note7, might be to blame for fire incidents

Alexandra Arici
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Samsung announced yesterday it was putting an end to the production of its troublesome Galaxy Note7 phablet, but questions about what really made the phones catch fire continue to linger.

However, the issue is being looked into and today a new report coming in from Bloomberg announced investigators now believe the recent overheating incidents may be the results of a different battery flaw than the one that led to the initial recall.

The original Galaxy Note7 units were plagued by a battery flaw that occurred during the manufacturing process. An error in production allowed pressure to be placed on plates inside the battery cells, determining the negative and positive poles to come into contact and generate excessive heating. That’s how Galaxy Note7 smartphones started to emit smoke and burst into flames while they were charging.

Shortly after the first reports of smoking Galaxy Note7 started pouring in, Samsung issued a recall, while at the same time promising “safe” replacement Galaxy Note7 units.

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Sadly, the new phablets were doomed to have the same fate as their predecessors. But there was something peculiar about these new Galaxy Note7s – they heated up despite not being in charging mode. So at the time it seemed the phablet’s battery issues were more complex than originally thought.

Today’s report suggests there are two independent issues at play responsible for the Galaxy Note7 debacle. Investigators have apparently discovered a new issue with replacement Galaxy Note 7 batteries, one that probably occurred in the supply line after Samsung started sending out replacement handsets.

It seems the batteries provided by Samsung SDI were a bit too large for the Note7 and this mismatch quickly led to overheating.

During the initial recall, Samsung abandoned the services of Samsung SDI and turned to Chinese company Amprerex Technology. The manufacturer was in charge for providing the battery for Note7 units sold in China, a country that wasn’t included in the first recall.

By the way, Amperex Technologies has also been doing business with Apple, supplying batteries for their iPhone lineup.

Now preliminary examinations seem to indicate that a fault exists with Galaxy Note7-bound Amperex-made batteries as well. Investigations are currently unfolding in the US, as well as in South Korea. The results should finally shed some light on where exactly Samsung went wrong and hopefully will help prevent such occurrences from ever happening in the future.

Needless to say, Samsung’s reputation has already been damaged beyond repair, there’s no way around that. The decision to kill off the infamous phablet sent the company’s share down 8% this week, shaving off in an instant $17 billion in market value. The worst is probably yet to come.

Samsung kills off the controversial Galaxy Note7

New OnePlus 3 variant rumored to arrive soon

Alexandra Arici
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1

OnePlus unleashed its latest flagship smartphone a few months ago and the device really caught the attention of consumers everywhere due to its powerful set of specs and relatively affordable price-tag.

Lots of people were extremely excited about the OnePlus 3 and naturally, the company received a lot of requests to purchase the handset. Unfortunately, OnePlus seems to be having a big problem keeping up with the unexpected wave of demand.

The smartphone has been out since June, but current delivery times can take up to four to five weeks due to high demand and low stock. According to sources inside the supply chain reported by Gizmo China, OnePlus seems to be working towards a solution to solve this stringent issue.

If we are to believe the rumor mill, the Chinese device maker is going to stop production of its newest flagship, the OnePlus 3 to make room for another smartphone, purportedly dubbed the OnePlus 3S or quite possible the OnePlus 3 Plus.

[graphiq id=”iaqC4jrdEnb” title=”OnePlus 3″ width=”600″ height=”729″ url=”https://w.graphiq.com/w/iaqC4jrdEnb” link=”http://smartphones.specout.com/l/5761/OnePlus-3″ link_text=”SpecOut | Graphiq” ]

Now you might be wondering, what does OnePlus hope to achieve by replacing one smartphone with another one? Well, the move does make sense if you take into account that the reason OnePlus can’t keep up with OnePlus 3 demand is AMOLED display shortage.

That being said, the upcoming OnePlus 3S or OnePlus 3 Plus is expected to make use LCD panels instead, thus removing the issue from the equation.

Apart from the new display, the upcoming variant is also rumored to come boasting a new Snapdragon 821 chipset. Currently, the OnePlus 3 packs a Snapdragon 820 processor with Adreno 530 CPU, 6GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage.

In the photography department, the handset takes advantage of a 16MP camera on the back with OIS and LED flash and an 8MP frontal snapper.

The report hasn’t been confirmed officially by OnePlus, so take this information with a healthy grain of salt until further notice.

Back in August, the company was forced to halt sales in Europe for more than a month due to inability to keep up with demand. Today’s rumor brings us a bit of hope that OnePlus is on its way to solving this frustrating situation.

Cyanogen outlines new strategy, announces Modular OS

Alexandra Arici
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0

At the beginning of this week, the company behind CyanogenOS – a popular alternate operating system for Android smartphones – announced a host of major changes, including the appointment of a new CEO.

Cyanogen’s strategy for the future involves moving away from developing its own Cyanogen operating system and focusing on the new Cyanogen Modular OS program instead. It’s an effort to provide device manufacturers with a much more customizable “modular” version to Android.

The idea is that device makers will be able to select and use different MODs on its devices. Manufacturers will be able to select whatever portions of CyanogenOS suit its needs better and incorporate them into its ROMs. For example, it will be able to have stock Android or its own variant on a phone and then add a bunch of apps from Cyanogen as well.

cyanogenos-smartphone

This isn’t Cyanogen’s first brush with modularity. A while ago the company offered the MOD program – an initiative designed to allow partners to tweak previously locked levels of Android. This enabled device makers to basically create its own custom OS. An example of MOD in action was Microsoft adding the Skype app to the Android dialer.

Aside from Modular OS, Cyanogen also announced it has a new CEO, Lior Tal who will be overseeing company operations from now on. He will replace Kirk Mcmaster who will now serve as executive chairman.

Tal detailed in an official blog post what motivated Cyanogen to make the transition towards Modular OS. He explains the new version of Android is expected to become a useful tool to combat Android fragmentation. Growing security issues are also cited.

This week’s Modular OS announcement remains pretty ambiguous, as no specific details about the different MOD modules were shared. However, the company will probably shed more light on the matter soon enough.

Project Fi introduces $15 Group Plans

Dan Bartram
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0

Google has added group plans to it’s popular Project Fi wireless provider service. This means that you can easily add a line to your existing plan for a flat monthly rate, and no change in other pricing otherwise.

Project Fi only charges you for the data you use, at $10 per GB per month on top of a flat rate $20 “Basics” per month charge for use of the service. The new group plans mean that you can add a line to your Basic Fi plan for only $15 a month additional per line, and you would still only pay for whatever data you use and are credited back for any unused data every month. Currently you can have up to 6 additional lines on a Group Plan through Fi, and each line can bring their own device and number as well as finance a new Nexus or Pixel device.

Similar plans from competitors like T-Mobile go for $50 to start, and that’s without bill credits for unused data along with the other perks of Project Fi. Sprint offers competitive pricing for group data plans, at $45 for a shared 6GB, but that is a pool for all users and also comes with Sprint’s less than stellar reputation not service.

It’s unanimous: Users are in love with Google’s Project Fi cellular service

The additional lines don’t raise the cost of data, and you can bring your own number over as well as any compatible Fi device. Google also offers financing on Fi compatible phones like the Nexus 5X and 6P, and the new Pixel phones as well. Currently Google is offering a sale if you purchase a Nexus device through Fi, with the 5X starting at $199 and the 6P at $399.

Google has been improving Project Fi steadily since it launched, and the addition of group plans makes it a strong option for those who pay for multiple lines on one plan and are looking to save a bit of money. Project Fi is a great service and if you are in the market for a new provider I’d definitely check it out.

Life360 rolls out Driver Protect subscription service

AndroidGuys
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0

Life360 recently launched the Life360 Driver Protect program, a subscription-based service that allows families to be notified of car accidents through Automatic Crash Detection technology within the app. Family members also can receive information on driving habits, including speed, distances, locations and even cell phone usage during a trip.

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Life360 is one of the leaders in family location based services and applications for both Android and iOS smartphones. The Family Locator app by Life360 has been downloaded over 10 million times on Android alone and is well received and reviewed by users on both ecosystems. The new Life360 Driver Protect service can be used to Safe Driving Reviews, extended roadside assistance and even send crime hotspot alerts directly to your smartphone.

life360 safe driving

 

Life 360 Driver Protect starts at $7.99/month or at a discounted yearly rate at $69.99 and covers all members of a family. Alex Haro, co-founder and President of Life360 says “Life360 Driver Protect adds a layer of protection for every member of the family by automatically providing assistance when it’s needed most.”

life 360 crash detect

For more information on Life360 Driver Protect and the other services provided by Life360, visit the website here, or to download the app from the Google Play store, click here.

Sprint gives free products to a million low income students

Andrew Orr
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0
Sprint gives free products to a million low income students

Sprint and the Sprint Foundation partners with the 1Million Project to give free mobile devices and free high-speed wireless internet to one million low income high school students in the United States.

“Education is the foundation for our society to prosper, and the internet is an incredibly powerful tool for learning. But it’s a huge problem in America that we have 5 million households with children that lack internet connections. Those kids have a huge disadvantage and we are failing them. All of us at Sprint are committed to changing this by providing 1 million students in need with free devices and free wireless connections.”

-Marcelo Claure, Sprint CEO

As technology pervades our lives, as well as our education system, with gadgets and tools to make our lives easier, low-income students sometimes get left behind. Not every parent can afford to give their sixth grader an iPad if their teacher demands it.

According to Pew Research Center, 5 million families in the United States that have school-aged children don’t have internet access at home. Many schools also use a form of online grading, and require parents to log in to access their child’s progress.

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This is where Sprint comes in. The carrier will work with non-profits like EveryoneOn and My Brother’s Keeper Alliance. These organizations will provide free mobile devices and Sprint service for up to four years in high school. Each student get have either a free smartphone, tablet, laptop or hotspot with 3GB of free LTE data per month.

Sprint will start a pilot program in January 2017 to test the program in 7-10 markets. Once the program is tested and refined, it will roll out in time for the 2017/2018 school year.

5 alternatives to consider instead of the Samsung Galaxy Note7

Matt Adams
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1

For fans of the Note lineup, the last few weeks have been pretty awful. We started off with reports of 30 or so phones’ batteries exploding which prompted a total recall and replace by the South Korean giant. Some carriers offered full refunds for the device while others stuck to the replacement program, but everyone recognized the problem.

Most, if not all, of us, thought the problems were over with the new Samsung Galaxy Note7s. These phones, with a special green battery indicator and black square on the box, were supposedly safe to use. Samsung told us that it identified the issues and moved to a new battery supplier. But, as we’ve found out over the past week, the fix didn’t take and more phones have blown up. At the time of writing, I’ve seen seven separate reports of phones having issues. These incidents are all under investigation and yet to be verified, but the issue is serious enough for all four major carriers in the United States to stop selling the Note7 and for Samsung to put a halt on production.

So, where does that leave current owners and those looking at the Note lineup for their next device? Well, if you already have a Note7 you are under no obligation (yet) to return it. It might be in your best interest to do so, but that’s a decision you’ll have to make for yourself. For those of you who wanted a Note7, you’re going to have to look elsewhere. We’ve put together five options that might not be exactly what the Note7 is but should serve as excellent substitutions.

LG V20

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The LG V20 is the successor to the V10, one of the best phones of 2015. LG’s late year flagship is designed all around multimedia- both the consumption and creation. The V20 has a large 5.7″ 2560x1440p display that will be excellent for watching YouTube and Netflix videos as well as a quad DAC (digital to analog converter) for the best possible audio quality.

LG returns another dual-camera setup to the rear of the V20. This has become all the rage this year and the V20 will use those cameras along with a “steady as you go” system to smooth out video recording. The V20 also has more control in recording audio than we’ve ever seen in a phone before. The Pro Video mode will allow you to adjust exactly how much audio from each of the right and left channels you capture. The control goes beyond just audio. You can also adjust the white balance, auto-focus, and other important factors in the Pro Video mode.

You’ll be able to fit your entire group of friends into any shot since the V20 has front-facing and rear-facing wide-angle lenses. If you’re more interested in a true-to-life picture, you can flip back over to the regular lens and capture pictures with the 16MP camera.

And, if that’s not enough for you, the V20 will also be the first device to ship with Android 7.0 Nougat. While the Nexus devices have received their over-the-air update, the V20 will beat Google’s own Pixel and Pixel XL to the market with the newest version of Android. We hope that this shows a strong commitment from LG on fast software updates and innovative software features.

Purchase Link: AT&T • T-Mobile • Sprint • B&H Photo

When and where to buy: LG V20

OnePlus 3

OnePlus Three

 

The OnePlus 3 may be the headliner of the midrange priced phones with flagship specs. With 6GB of RAM (2 more than the Note7) and a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 (the same as the Note7), the OnePlus 3 can go toe to toe in processing power.

While the OnePlus 3 doesn’t use the same build materials, it does use an excellent combination of a glass front and aluminum sides and back. The phone feels a lot like something from the HTC flagship lineup of the last few years- and that’s a good thing.

If you care about software more than hardware, you may enjoy the OnePlus 3 even more than the Note7. Samsung is notorious for packing its devices full of features (and bloatware), but OnePlus has taken the opposite strategy. The OnePlus 3 runs a custom version of Android called Oxygen OS. It’s visually almost identical to Stock Android while featuring smart tweaks to make the phone more powerful. You have the ability to use hardware or software buttons since the phone has both and can program what happens on long or double presses of the home, back, and multitasking buttons.

A large development community has popped up around the OnePlus 3 due to the relative ease in unlocking and rooting the device. If you’re not satisfied with the stock software, you can easily install Cyanogenmod or another ROM at your leisure.

While the OnePlus 3 may not have as many standout features as the Note7, it does beat it on value. You can buy two OnePlus 3’s for the price of one Note7 if you wanted to.

Purchase Link: OnePlus.net • Swappa • Amazon

OnePlus 3 review: King of the budget phones, but no heir to the flagship throne

Samsung Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge

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Samsung’s early year flagship phones are still an excellent choice if you’re picking up a phone today. In fact, the Galaxy S7 Edge is almost identical to the Note7 and even has a bigger battery and is slightly easier to handle due to a smaller display.

The Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge match the display quality, water resistance, expandable storage, and quick charging abilities of the Note7. Unfortunately, the S7 and S7 Edge still use micro USB cables to charge instead of USB type-C due to the desire for the phones to be compatible with the Gear VR.

Want a compelling reason to pick either of these phones over their big brother? Price. The S7 comes in at $200 lower and the S7 Edge is $100 cheaper. You could save that money and go grab yourself a nice microSD card to expand your storage. The phones are so good that the Mobile Choice Consumer Awards just named the Galaxy S7 Edge the phone of the year.

Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge (Review)

Purchase Link: AT&T • Sprint • T-Mobile • Verizon • Amazon • B&H Photo • Swappa

Samsung Galaxy Note 5

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If you’re interested in a Note, why not get a Note? Up until 2 months ago, the Galaxy Note 5 was the best option on the market for Note loyalists, and while it may not have some of the features that the Note7 does, it is still an excellent phone capable of serving as your daily driver.

What you won’t get is expandable storage and water resistance. While that’s a bummer, those aren’t  deal-breakers to most people. You will still get a Quad-HD resolution display, the S-Pen stylus, a big battery and a ton of software features. The latest version of Android and TouchWiz should be coming to the Note 5 soon so the phone should only get better.

The Note 5 has a Samsung Exynos 7420 octa-core processor, 4GB of RAM, 32GB of storage, a 3000mAh battery and one of the best cameras on the market. The phone is still very comparable to those being sold this year as flagships with much higher price tags. If you don’t mind picking up a gently used device, head over to Swappa.com and find a Note 5 that fits you.

Samsung Galaxy Note 5 review: A change for the best?

Purchase Link: Sprint • T-Mobile • Verizon • Amazon • B&H Photo • Swappa

Pixel XL

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No-one may benefit as much as Google from the Note7 crash-and-burn. Google recently scrapped its normal Nexus devices and instead turned to a new type of phone, the Pixel. The Pixel lineup has existed within Google for a while now and represented devices that Google fully controls both the hardware and software on. If you’re looking for a recently released flagship device, the Pixel and Pixel XL are probably the last true flagship devices that will be released until early 2017 when we expect to see new devices from Samsung, LG and HTC.

The Pixel XL is the larger of the two devices, coming in with a 5.5″ QHD display. It packs in 32GB of non-expandable storage, 4GB of RAM, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 processor, and a camera that Google claims is the best on the market today. In terms of display, processing power and camera, you’re not going to find a closer comparison to the Samsung Galaxy Note7 out there.

Normally this is where I’d make the case that you’re leaving some software features for the relatively spartan Stock Android experience from Google, but this year is different. Google has put an emphasis on software features in the Pixel with built-in Google Assistant support. Google will also be offering Pixel and Pixel XL owners unlimited, full-resolution uploads for video and pictures taken with the devices so while the device storage isn’t expandable, some of the load will be taken off by using the cloud.

Purchase Link: Google Store

Google unveils the Pixel and Pixel XL

Nothing is going to exactly replace the Samsung Galaxy Note7, but if you consider what your mobile must-haves are, there is definitely a phone on the market that will suit your needs. Do any of these tick enough boxes for you? Let us know down in the comments what you’re considering now that the Note7 is no longer an option.

Chrooma Keyboard – Emoji: Enjoy using your mobile keyboard

AndroidGuys
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3

Your phone’s keyboard, one of the most used pieces of software on your device, and the one you have thought the least about. Like many, I use my phone for my job, to communicate with friends and family, to plan social events, and to keep my schedule for both my work and social life in order. To do all of these things, I use my keyboard, yet I never thought about how the default keyboard could be improved.

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As I began to use my phone more in my professional life, I began to notice a few areas the Google Keyboard was letting me down. A lot of my job requires researching variances and resolving system issues. To conduct much of this research, I walk around a building, pulling model numbers off of products and inserting them into my company’s website, which I pull up on my phone. To correctly input a model number, I often switch back and forth between the number pad and keyboard 5+ times, which is horribly time-consuming and tedious. The Chrooma Keyboard drastically changed this. Chrooma adds a lot of functionality, flexibility, and customization to the keyboard, an often overlooked but important part of your device.

Installing Chrooma Keyboard

Chrooma has made the installation process as pain and hassle free as possible. Once you have downloaded the app from the Google Play Store, open the app to begin the setup process. The app then walks you through the setup process step by step. First, you will select the keyboard you want to use as your default (Psst…its the Chrooma Keyboard), next, you will select your language, followed by enabling permissions, signing into Google, and finally, you will update Chroma’s text prediction with your previous SMS messages. That’s all there is to it!

Chrooma Keyboard Install
Chrooma Keyboard’s set up process

My Experience

While there are two versions of the app, the free version and a “Pro” version, the functionality that the Chrooma keyboard provides in both is a breath of fresh air. The paid version of the app allows the user access to a couple more customizations and features but is by no means a necessity to have a good experience. The additions in both versions are all targeted at making your time with the keyboard more efficient and enjoyable. It starts with the little things like “Dynamic Preview” which gives you a better look at what you are typing while using swipe.

Chrooma Dynamic Preview
Chrooma Keyboard’s dynamic preview

In addition to dynamic preview changing the way you see what you are typing, Chrooma can predict what you type and then correct small mistakes you make. The auto correction is able to learn, and after spending two weeks with Chrooma’s auto correction, it has gotten even better at correcting my typing. In the few instances where the auto correct did not catch on to a word I want it to remember, I was able to add the word to the keyboard’s dictionary manually.

While the auto correct and Dynamic Preview are nice, the “Action Row” is one of the most useful features found on the Chrooma Keyboard. The Action Row is an additional row added to your keyboard that you can customize to your liking. Unlike the rest of the keyboard, this row is not static. The Action Row can slide back and forth between different custom rows you have set up allowing you to add even more functionality to your keyboard. The Action Row has had the largest impact on my daily use, especially at work since it has eliminated my need to constantly change back and forth between the number pad and my keyboard.

Chrooma Keyboard Action row
Chrooma Keyboard Action Row

While some will be sold on the functionality alone, the developers who made Chrooma know people want customization. The customization starts with the action row but goes well beyond that. You can adjust the size and alignment of the keys, allowing for better one handed typing. You can also change the theme to a color adaptive theme that will change color every time you send a message or an AMOLED theme that should save you battery since many of the pixels covered by the keyboard will be off. Maybe the pure black of AMOLED keyboard is not your thing, well pick the color you want, apply a gradient and font, and you have another custom keyboard built for you. By tweaking the functionality and the look of your keyboard, you can make the Chrooma Keyboard what you want and what you need it to be.

Chrooma Keyboard

Conclusion

The Chrooma keyboard is a great addition that anyone can use. After the first week of using the keyboard, I decided to invest in the app because of how much of an impact it had in my everyday life. For $2.49, you can unlock all the little of nuances of the app that add the little extra touch of customization and functionality, but again I reiterate, it is not necessary to have a good experience.

I started this review hesitant about trying a new keyboard, but I can honestly say I would recommend this app to everyone. The Chrooma Keyboard took the standard keyboard that many people use daily without much consideration and made it highly functional and reliable. I personally have experienced how this keyboard can be customized to do a job, and now, I use it daily at work. The Chrooma keyboard is definitely worth your time and effort to download.

Samsung kills off the controversial Galaxy Note7

Alexandra Arici
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0

The unprecedented just happened. A report coming from Bloomberg today announced that Samsung has officially pulled the plug off its controversial Galaxy Note 7 phablet.

The measure is a drastic one, but given the current situation, we don’t see how the Galaxy Note7 could ever bounce back. Samsung has taken a major hit in credibility and this desperate attempt at damage control proves in what precarious situation the phone maker finds itself in.

It’s a fiasco that will probably go down in history and won’t be easily forgotten. This news arrives shortly after Samsung released a statement where it explicitly asked users to “power down and stop using” the original Galaxy Note 7 or the replacement Galaxy Note 7 and “take advantage of the remedies available”. The Korean tech giant also requested that global partners stop sales of the phablets in question.

The Galaxy Note7 was supposed to be Samsung’s almighty weapon in battling Apple’s new iPhone host during the upcoming holiday season. Now all the effort that went into building this premium handset is going down the drain.

Considered one of the world’s top smartphone makers, Samsung has had a rough couple of months. Shortly after the Galaxy Note7 made its way onto the market, reports started flooding in that the phone’s battery was prone to overheating and catching fire.

Galaxy-note-7-boom2

Samsung quickly issued a global recall and offered replacement Galaxy Note7 phones, but the crisis was far from being over and forgotten.

In the last few weeks, we have been bombarded by news of smoking, exploding replacement Galaxy Note7 units. One phone almost blew up in the pocket of a passenger traveling onboard a Southwest Airlines flight from Louisville, KY. Another started smoking in the hand of a thirteen-year-old teenager, who luckily managed to drop it to the ground quickly enough.

In the wake of all unfortunate these events, Samsung found itself under immense pressure. Earlier this week it said it was working with the US Consumer Product Safety Commission to investigate the problem, but now it seems the Korean giant has decided a more drastic approach is called for.

The effects of the Galaxy Note7 fiasco are already visible, as Samsung shares fell 8% Tuesday thus shaving off approximately $17 billion market value.

While this news might come as a blow to Samsung enthusiasts and supporters, it seems inadmissible that a company of Samsung’s caliber and notoriety was careless enough to put a product so potentially dangerous as the Galaxy Note7, on the market. Are the days of good old fashion, strict quality control over and done? We certainly hope not.

EDIT: Samsung has issued an official statment for CNBC:

“For the benefit of consumers’ safety, we have stopped sales and exchanges of the Galaxy Note 7 and have consequently decided to stop production.”

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