It seems that Samsung may need the help of one of its main competitors to create a safe Galaxy Note 8. It’s being reported that the company has tapped LG Chem to make some of the batteries for the next iteration of the smartphone line.
LG Chem said to be making Galaxy Note 8 batteries
Many had suggested that after the exploding battery triggered a recall of every Galaxy Note 7 handset in the world, Samsung would simply abandon the whole Note line entirely. However, the company practically confirmed that there would be a Note 8 in October in connection with the Note 7 recall and a deal it was offering.
The problem it faces with the Note 8 is convincing consumers that it’s a safe phone to buy, and one way to do this is to tap a competitor to make the battery. Of course it probably isn’t about convincing people that the Note 8, as such a move doesn’t look good. It almost looks like Samsung is saying that it can’t make a safe battery for its smartphones, so it’s going with batteries made by one of its top competitors.
In this case, it’s LG Chem, according to The Investor, which cites unnamed “industry sources” for the tidbit of information. Also the battery may not just go in the Note 8, but it could be used in future Samsung phones starting with the Note 8. Those sources reportedly told the website that Samsung has been negotiating with battery suppliers since the recall of the Note 7. The source believes that a deal will be finalized with LG but said it had not been signed yet.
Because it takes about six months to design and produce batteries to be used in a new smartphone, the Galaxy Note 8 seems to be the likely candidate to be the first Samsung phone with LG’s battery in it. It’s rare for the Korean company to use LG components, but apparently it has been trying to diversify its supply chain in the wake of the sudden untimely death of the Note 7. Currently Samsung SDI and ATL, a China-based battery supplier, make the batteries for Samsung’s smartphones.
Trade in a Note 7 for the Galaxy Note 8
The company has been pulling out all the stops trying to get everyone who bought a Note 7 to return it and also stay with the Samsung brand. The batteries in the smartphones have been exploding and/ or catching fire, creating a very dangerous situation for those who have one. Many Note 7 owners have been defecting from the brand, switching to an iPhone 7 Plus instead, although as of recently, there were still more people with a Note 7 than with a handful of other less popular smartphones combined.
Samsung said in October that it was offering customers a chance to upgrade to the Galaxy Note 8 through a special program. Of course the phone isn’t out yet, so the first step in the process is to turn in the recalled Note 7 in exchange for a Galaxy S7 or S7 Edge. Then next year after the new phones are out, customers can trade up to either a Galaxy S8 or Note 8.
