Samsung announces exchange offer date for Note 7 in UAE

Dubai - Retailers in UAE start returning Galaxy Note7 stocks to Samsung. Reports of exploding batteries triggered a global recall of the new phone.

Samsung will replace the newly launched Galaxy Note7 with the new device before the end of September in the UAE, sources told Khaleej Times.  
The South Korean smartphone manufacturer has already suspended the sales of Note 7 in the UAE along with other nine countries following the reports of 'battery cell issues' in some countries.
However, no such incident has been reported in the UAE, power retailers told this scribe. In the latest development on Saturday, Samsung has started registration of those Note 7 owners who wish to replace the device in the UAE. They need to call Samsung call centre to register their name. Samsung will call back them once the new device will be available in the country.  
The new shipment of Note7 smartphone will arrive in the UAE before the end of September, according to sources. Retailers in the UAE have started returning the Galaxy Note7 stocks to Samsung.  
Samsung is also ready to give refund to those customers who do not need replacement with the new device. But they have to register first at call centre.  
A market survey, conducted by this scribe, revealed that all major electronics retailers have stopped selling the Galaxy Note7 in the UAE after instructions from Samsung Gulf. These retailers include Jumbo Electronics, Sharaf DG, and Eros Electronics.  
Jacky's Electronics is also not selling the Galaxy Note7 because they don't have the stocks.
"We are out of stock. New shipment was due to reach us tomorrow [Sunday] but now delayed," Ashish Panjabi, the chief operating officer of Jacky's Electronics, told this scribe.  
Samsung Call Centre staff is also asking Note 7 owners that they can bring the device to Samsung Service Centre if they feel there is something wrong and the problem will be fixed.  
Samsung originally said it would take about two weeks to prepare the recall, but later announced Note 7 users in the US can exchange their device for a Galaxy S7 or Galaxy S7 Edge, starting next week. The company also said Galaxy Note7 units destined for China are immune from the battery problem as they contain battery from a different supplier.  
abdulbasit@khaleejtimes.com

• Dubai