6-in-10 punters return their self-destructing Samsung Galaxy Note 7

Just over three weeks after announcing a global Galaxy Note 7 recall, Samsung says six out of ten owners in the US and South Korea have returned their potentially exploding phablets.

The numbers are even higher in Singapore, where 80 per cent of owners of the recalled devices have got around to swapping them. Samsung is still calling on all Note 7 owners to switch off their devices immediately and send them back to base – but insists the battery problem is an isolated issue.

There have been several reported small explosions involving the devices. In the US, the Federal Aviation Administration told air passengers not to switch on or charge a Note 7 during a flight nor store them in the hold luggage. Several airlines instituted an outright ban on the devices.

Only one in ten owners have asked for their money back instead of a replacement device, the electronics goliath claims, meaning the vast majority of handsets are being exchanged for non-detonating models.

In the UK, the recall is being handled by individual operators and providers.

The recall was ordered on September 2 and was described as "an isolated battery cell issue." Not every phone will explode – only a small percentage – but Samsung would rather everyone hands back their Note 7 gadgets so they can be replaced, just to be on the safe side.

Anyone with questions about the Galaxy Note 7 should contact the Samsung customer service team on 0330 7261000 (1-800-726-7864 in the US). ®