Samsung has been forced to discontinue its Galaxy Note 7, in the wake of device's concern.
A series of reports that claimed replacement devices were still catching fire raises serious questions for Samsung, after the manufacturer had said it was confident it had overcome the safety risk.
During a global recall in September, Samsung blamed instances of fires and overheating in its first batch of handsets on manufacturing defects with the battery.
However, at least five reports have since emerged in the US of handsets that were issued after the recall catching fire.
Now Korean safety authorities say they had found a possible new product defect in the Note7 that may not be related to its batteries at all, and urged consumers to stop using them.
"We can confirm the report that Samsung permanently discontinues the production of Galaxy Note7," Samsung said in a statement.
So what should you do if you have a Galaxy Note7 handset in your possession?
Turn it off
There have been no confirmed reports of fires or explosions in the UK, where the handset was never fully released, but if you do have one in your possession, you should exchange it anyway, just to be on the safe side.
Samsung had launched an exchange programme in the UK, allowing customers to trade-in their existing devices, but this was halted after it was suggested further defects could exist within the Note7 beyond the battery issue.
Samsung has not yet issued updated guidance, but according to Alex Neill, Managing Director of Home and Legal services at consumer watchdog Which?, you should be entitled to a refund.
"You have between 14 and 30 days to return the phone depending on where you bought it from and if it's a faulty product you should get a full refund," Neill said.
"The most important thing for those who have the affected model is to turn it off immediately."
Exchanges and refunds
Although a recall was issued when Note 7 handsets were originally reported to be catching fire, Samsung has not so far recalled the replacement handsets.
A recall notice is the most severe level of safety notice. It means that a manufacturer is concerned about the safety of one of its products.
When a recall happens the manufacturer should contact you and advise you how to go about returning the product. Usually, your product will either be repaired or replaced with a newer version that does not have the same problem.
You should not be charged for the recall. Any repair work and the cost of returning your product should be covered by the manufacturer.
As Samsung has now decided to scrap the device, it will almost certainly recall all the devices and offer to exchange them for different models.
If you bought the device directly from Samsung, you can call the customer service team on 0330 726 1000 between 9am and 6pm, Monday through to Saturday.
If you bought the device from a third-party retailer or mobile operator, you will need to contact that company to arrange a refund. Here's what they've said so far:
EE: "At EE, our customers' safety is of the utmost importance. Following the official guidance from Samsung we are asking that all EE customers with a Samsung Galaxy Note7 switch off their device and return it to EE immediately. This applies to both the original Note7 devices as well as the replacement Note7s that some of our customers have received. We will contact all of our Note7 customers to discuss their options and arrange a replacement phone. We apologise for the continued inconvenience this has caused."
O2: "We're in the process of contacting our customers who have a Samsung Note 7. Customers with a Note 7 can call us on a dedicated number, 0333 234 1457, where we will talk through their options including the provision of a new mobile."
Three: "Our customer safety is paramount. We are currently contacting all affected customers to ensure they power down their device immediately and to discuss their alternative options."
Vodafone: "Quality and customer safety are absolute priorities for Vodafone, so we are in close communication with Samsung, which is undertaking tests on affected devices. We are not aware of incidents involving Vodafone customers who had an original Note 7 and who have received a replacement device. However, we have paused pre-orders of the Note 7 as well as our device replacement programme until such time that we receive satisfactory assurances from Samsung about the safety of the Galaxy Note 7."
Carphone Warehouse: "We have suspended all pre-order sales of the Samsung Galaxy Note7. Any customer with the device is being urged to take it into store where they will be offered a full refund or speak to the team about their options of another device."
Don't take it on a plane
Most major airlines, air regulators and airport authorities have already banned passengers from using the phones, saying Note7s should not be powered up or charged on board.
Given the latest developments, it's best not to take your Note7 anywhere near a plane, in case it catches fire on board.
Last week, a Note7 phone belonging to Brian Green, from Indiana, reportedly began emitting smoke on board a Southwest Airlines flight to Baltimore from Louisville, Kentucky.
Technology news site The Verge , quoted Green as saying the phone was a replacement, and posted a picture taken by him of the packaging.
The picture showed an identifying label with a black box, which Samsung has described as the indicator of a replacement phone.
All passengers and crew were evacuated and no injuries were reported.
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