Samsung announces enhanced battery safety measures

Seoul: After revealing that faulty batteries in Galaxy Note 7 smartphone caused devices to catch fire, Samsung Electronics has announced new and enhanced quality assurance measures to improve product safety.

The new safety measures include enhanced eight-point battery safety check that would address safety from the component level to the assembly and shipment of devices.

"Included in the check are enhanced tests (durability test, visual inspection, X-Ray test, disassembling test and OCT test), as well as newly applied measures (charge and discharge test, among others)," the South Korean giant said in a statement late on Monday.

The multi-layer safety measures protocol would implement strict safety standards on each element of the devices, including design and materials used, device hardware strength and capabilities and improved software algorithms for safer battery charging temperature, current and duration.

Samsung has also formed a battery advisory group of external advisers to ensure battery safety and innovation.

"Samsung hopes that this case will serve as an opportunity to improve the safety of lithium-ion batteries not only for the company but for the entire industry and will actively share the lessons learned to contribute toward improved safety standards," the company announced.

On Monday, the company said that the investigations by three independent industry organisations concluded that the batteries were found to be the cause of the Note 7 incidents.

Samsung decided to discontinue the Note 7 last October after recalling millions of the devices worldwide over safety concerns.