Verizon Decides to Support Galaxy Note7 Brick Update, But Not Until After Holidays

[MacRumors]

Verizon has announced that it will support an incoming update for potentially dangerous Galaxy Note7 devices that will effectively render the smartphones useless, after originally stating that it would not roll out the update "because of the added risk this could pose to Galaxy Note7 users that do not have another device to switch to" (via The Verge). Samsung's update is aimed at the remaining Note7 smartphones only within the United States.

The carrier believed the holiday season was reason enough to prevent remaining Galaxy Note7 users from having a bricked smartphone, and its support of Samsung's software update is keeping that in mind: Verizon will introduce the update after the holidays, on January 5. Verizon joins a staggered release of the update by most of the other major U.S. carriers, including T-Mobile on December 27, AT&T on January 5, and Sprint on January 8.

In its new statement, Verizon still urges remaining Galaxy Note7 owners -- which reportedly total less than 10 percent of the owners for the recalled device -- to stop using the smartphone immediately.

Verizon will not be pushing this software update to your device until January 5, 2017. We want to make sure you can contact family, first responders, and emergency medical professionals during the holiday travel season.

However, we urge you to stop using your Note7, upgrade it to another device, and return the Note7 to us.

Samsung's update will effectively prevent any Galaxy Note7 from being able to charge, as well as "eliminate their ability to work as mobile devices." The decision by Samsung is the company's attempt to finally put the infamous months-long coverage of exploding Note7 devices behind it for good, while moving forward into 2017 and the Galaxy S8.

Article Link: Verizon Decides to Support Galaxy Note7 Brick Update, But Not Until After Holidays

 

[OldSchoolMacGuy]

The holidays are far more important than the safety of their customers.

Should something happen to any Verizon Note 7 owners between now and then, Verizon is looking at a huge lawsuit for putting things off.

 

[sunapple]

Sure is convenient to be able to contact emergency services when your house is burning down because you're still using that phone. Wait...

 

[Kaibelf]

Thank goodness. Now people have a better chance of igniting their Yule log successfully.

 

[macfacts]

The holidays are far more important than the safety of their customers.

Should something happen to any Verizon Note 7 owners between now and then, Verizon is looking at a huge lawsuit for putting things off.

Lawsuit for what reason? Samsung and all the carrier's have already asked for the phones to be returned for a full refund.

 

[Goatllama]

Verizon will not be pushing this software update to your device until January 5, 2017. We want to make sure you can contact family, first responders, and emergency medical professionals during the holiday travel season.

However, we urge you to stop using your Note7, upgrade it to another device, and return the Note7 to us.

So stop using it unless you absolutely have to. Still, these directions seem a bit contradictory. And of course, the people whose emergency IS the phone are out of luck. I'm having a hard time seeing how they justified this decision.

 

[IPPlanMan]

Q: Do we have a hotplate to to keep the holiday platter warm?

A: Oh no... just put the Note 7 underneath... It'll work just fine.
[doublepost=1481901340][/doublepost]

Sure is convenient to be able to contact emergency services when your house is burning down because you're still using that phone. Wait...

If anyone showed up at my house with a Note 7, I'm not letting them in the house with it. That **** is staying in a bucket on the driveway.

 

[TMRJIJ]

Exactly, don't brick them yet. We can still use the Note 7 to start our fireplaces.

 

[furi0usbee]

Either Verizon's lawyers talked them into it, or Samsung told them they would pay more for the next phone if they didn't do this.

 

[ArtOfWarfare]

If anyone showed up at my house with a Note 7, I'm not letting them in the house with it. That **** is staying in a bucket on the driveway.

I wonder... if you put the Note 7 in a bucket of water outside where it's freezing cold... what happens as the water freezes? Will the water exert enough pressure on the battery while it's expanding/freezing that the battery warms up? Will that then keep the water from freezing?

 

[IPPlanMan]

I wonder... if you put the Note 7 in a bucket of water outside where it's freezing cold... what happens as the water freezes? Will the water exert enough pressure on the battery while it's expanding/freezing that the battery warms up? Will that then keep the water from freezing?

I think the water would boil.

 

[macduke]

I hope none of my friends or family that are flying for the holidays are on a plane with one of these idiots.

 

[CaryMacGuy]

Not that it is smart but I imagine if someone was really hell-bent on keeping their Note 7, they could root and ROM the device and install a custom ROM that gives back the ability to charge and use as a mobile device.

 

[jdillings]

I can't remember a worse December
Just watch those icicles form!
Oh, what do I care if icicles form?
Oh, I've got my Galaxy Note to keep me warm

 

[2010mini]

I ask again WHY are people still holding on to potentially dangerous devices?!? Do they have separation anxiety?

 

[OldSchoolMacGuy]

Lawsuit for what reason? Samsung and all the carrier's have already asked for the phones to be returned for a full refund.

They had the ability to prevent these phones from functioning and blowing up on users but they didn't do so. That's textbook negligence and will certainly result in a lawsuit. The legal definition being: failure to use reasonable care, resulting in damage or injury to another.

 

[avanpelt]

What lunacy!

This is like discovering bacteria in turkeys, issuing one warning about it, and then saying that you don't want to issue a second, more forceful warning until after the holidays so you don't disrupt people's holiday meals.

Anyone who hasn't heeded the warnings to this point clearly doesn't want to return the phone. The problem with that, though, is that this time of year, many of those Note 7-toting people will be crammed into planes with dozens to hundreds of other people. They're not only putting their own safety at risk, but also the safety of unsuspecting people around them. Does anyone really believe that the TSA is still going to be actively looking for Note 7s with the holiday travel rush in full swing? I doubt it.

 

[MysteryMii215]

I ask again WHY are people still holding on to potentially dangerous devices?!? Do they have separation anxiety?

Either A) they're diehard Samsung fans that refuse to get rid of their Note7's, B) they're people that some how haven't heard the news by now, or C) They think the chances of the phone exploding are pretty small (which while it is, still doesn't mean that the phone can't explode).

 

[macfacts]

They had the ability to prevent these phones from functioning and blowing up on users but they didn't do so. That's textbook negligence and will certainly result in a lawsuit. The legal definition being: failure to use reasonable care, resulting in damage or injury to another.

The owners have the ability to prevent explosions too by simply returning them. The negligence would fall on the owner because they already know about the recall.

Lol, so where are the current lawsuits for the phones that did blow up?

 

[iOSUser7]

Now that's planned obsolescence people !

jk don't hate on me please.

 

[ardchoille50]

Wowsers, I've always been happy with Verizon but this looks bad. Never let a problem linger, it has the potential to blow up in your face.

 

[Mac Fly (film)]

May as well let a few homes burn down over the holidays.

 

[TopToffee]

Wowsers, I've always been happy with Verizon but this looks bad. Never let a problem linger, it has the potential to blow up in your face.

Doesn't appear to just be Verizon? They're pushing the update the same day as AT&T and (ironically, given the name) before Sprint in last place

 

[jayducharme]

Of course, profit comes before safety. I wonder if Verizon is opening themselves up to a lawsuit if a Note blows up after someone buys it from them (seeing as how Samsung recalled them).

 

[AppleFan91]

Of course, profit comes before safety. I wonder if Verizon is opening themselves up to a lawsuit if a Note blows up after someone buys it from them (seeing as how Samsung recalled them).

I wonder, do you and people like you in this thread even read? They are issuing the update the same day as AT&T and before Sprint. Some of you are acting as if they are the only ones who haven't pushed the update yet. No one has.