South Korea's Samsung Electronics Co on Thursday apologized to Chinese consumers for its lack of detailed explanation regarding reportedly problematic Galaxy Note 7 smartphones, but maintained that batteries in its phones had not caused fires.
Samsung said in an open letter on its website that it apologizes for not explaining in detail the safety features of its Galaxy Note 7 smartphones, which caused concerns and confusion among consumers.
But the South Korean electronics producer maintained that the smartphones' batteries did not cause fires but external thermal shocks did. It noted that results of internal or outside tests performed on the smartphones found that the burned parts were not in the battery areas and there were no apparent signs of burning inside the batteries.
"Such results were in line with our initial test results," Samsung said, adding that more recalled smartphones with fire damage will undergo similar tests and the results will be reported to relevant government agencies and released immediately.
Samsung's comments came after the company received increased scrutiny over its decision not to include China in its Note 7 recall plan, even after several reports of the smartphone catching fire.
That prompted some in China to say the South Korean company was applying double standards.
The Beijing News reported on Thursday, citing a recent survey, that more than 70 percent of nearly 20,000 smartphone users surveyed said they will not buy a Samsung phone again. The number was 87.4 percent among non-Samsung users, and more than half of those surveyed said their attitude toward Samsung is "turning negative."
Samsung said on Thursday that it attaches great importance to the Chinese market and "has never and will never apply double standards to China."
But the Galaxy Note 7 smartphone is not the only device from Samsung that has been reported to have problems. Reuters reported on Thursday that Samsung said it was in talks with U.S. authorities over potential safety problems related to some of its washing machines.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has warned that some of Samsung's top-load washing machines might have problems, according to the Reuters report.
Also, a commercial flight from Detroit to Amsterdam was forced to divert to Manchester, UK after a Samsung tablet left under a seat overheated and caused smoke, U.S.-based ABC news reported on Monday.
The U.S. Federal Aviation Authority was reviewing the incident, and Samsung said that external factors might have contributed to this incident and it was not related to the Galaxy Note 7, according to the ABC report.
