Teardown finds Samsung Galaxy S8+ battery 'virtually identical' to fire-prone Note 7

Posted:
in iPhone edited April 2017
Samsung is apparently confident that a rash of fires with its Note 7 phablet were caused by manufacturing errors, and not design or parts, as it has adopted many of the same features -- and even one of the same battery manufacturers -- with the new Galaxy S8+.


Via iFixit.


As is par for the course with new gadgets, iFixit got their hands on the Samsung Galaxy S8+ and conducted a teardown of the flagship device. After analyzing the internal design of the Galaxy S8+, iFixit came away surprised that Samsung didn't go for a "dramatically different design" from the Note 7.

Specifically, iFixit found that the Galaxy S8+ battery is "virtually identical" to the Note 7 battery in a number of respects, including battery voltage, capacity and design tolerances. The S8+ has a 13.48 Wh battery that is exactly the same as the capacity of the Note 7 battery.

In addition, while different suppliers may provide components for different individual handsets, the Galaxy S8+ taken apart by iFixit was built by the same manufacturer as "some" Note 7 batteries.

"Samsung is clearly confident that their battery issue was a manufacturing quality assurance one, and the S8 series' glued-in battery is proof they have faith in their 8-point plan," the solutions provider wrote. "The design surrounding the battery -- its installed position, spacing, and reinforcement -- is very, very similar to the Note 7."




Samsung confirmed in January that fires from faulty Note 7 units were a result of battery problems. After a public relations nightmare led to a series of recalls, the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 was finally permanently discontinued last October, citing consumer safety.

Handsets that were not returned were permanently disabled via software by Samsung.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 32
    tzm41tzm41 Posts: 95member
    Fingers crossed for them I guess?
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 2 of 32
    lkrupplkrupp Posts: 10,557member
    tzm41 said:
    Fingers crossed for them I guess?
    All it will take is ONE fire and it’s all over.
    sdw2001fracdysamoriawatto_cobra
  • Reply 3 of 32
    The Note 7 batteries did have two separate manufacturing issues. The "squashed" plates in the corner and the missing overlap for an insulating layer. So I see no reason these batteries should be unsafe. Just amazed they could have two different faults with the same battery.

    iFixit gave both S8's a 4/10 for ease of repair, iPhone 7 received 7/10. iPhone wins yet again.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 4 of 32
    Rayz2016Rayz2016 Posts: 6,957member
    I thought the problem was the lack of space between the battery and the surrounding parts. 
    indiekidukmuthuk_vanalingampscooter63mwhitewatto_cobra
  • Reply 5 of 32
    sdw2001sdw2001 Posts: 18,015member
    I don't know specifically what the issue was, but this doesn't seem like a surprise to me.  They aren't going to risk another $5 billion (added to the hit they'll take in the market).  If they are confident it's a quality control issue, so am I.  I still think Samsung blows for anything other than TV's and blu-ray players, so who cares?  
  • Reply 6 of 32

    iFixit gave both S8's a 4/10 for ease of repair, iPhone 7 received 7/10. iPhone wins yet again.
    The S8's 4/10 rating could be allowing for cleaning off fire extinguisher foam prior to any repair!
    lostkiwimagman1979watto_cobra
  • Reply 7 of 32
    maestro64maestro64 Posts: 5,043member
    someone needs to x-ray those batteries to see if the internal show they came issue as the S7 note phone. I still believe Samsung had a design issue more than manufacturing variability issue.
    muthuk_vanalingamGrimzahnwatto_cobra
  • Reply 8 of 32

    You're smokin'

    Are your pants on fire -- or are you just happy to see me?


    SpamSandwichpscooter63magman1979watto_cobra
  • Reply 9 of 32
    The issue with the Note 7 was with the battery itself rather than the phone. So it really doesn't matter that it has the same layout.
  • Reply 10 of 32
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,510member
    As I keep on saying, and has been confirmed, the problem wasn't caused by defective batteries. It was caused by a last minute replacement of the expected battery with a larger one that was too tight for the battery compartment. That was the problem. So all Samsung needed to do here was to make that compartment a bit more spacey, and the problem should be taken care of.

    its never a good thing to at the last minute, replace a major component in a product, for any reason. It always needs a new round of testing, and there was not time for that, as the phone itself was rushed out earlier than expected to better compete with the 7+. It was a major mistake, AMD one I would expect Samsung won't make again.
    pscooter63avon b7watto_cobra
  • Reply 11 of 32
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,510member
    Dracarys said:
    The issue with the Note 7 was with the battery itself rather than the phone. So it really doesn't matter that it has the same layout.
    That's incorrect.
  • Reply 12 of 32
    Must be a slow news day. The specs of the battery were not the cause of the Note 7 issues. 

    And, guess what? iPhone batteries probably have very similar specs to these! 
  • Reply 13 of 32
    melgross said:
    As I keep on saying, and has been confirmed, the problem wasn't caused by defective batteries. It was caused by a last minute replacement of the expected battery with a larger one that was too tight for the battery compartment. That was the problem. So all Samsung needed to do here was to make that compartment a bit more spacey, and the problem should be taken care of.

    its never a good thing to at the last minute, replace a major component in a product, for any reason. It always needs a new round of testing, and there was not time for that, as the phone itself was rushed out earlier than expected to better compete with the 7+. It was a major mistake, AMD one I would expect Samsung won't make again.
    That was only speculation. 
  • Reply 14 of 32
    sdw2001 said:
    I don't know specifically what the issue was, but this doesn't seem like a surprise to me.  They aren't going to risk another $5 billion (added to the hit they'll take in the market).  If they are confident it's a quality control issue, so am I.  I still think Samsung blows for anything other than TV's and blu-ray players, so who cares?  

    With S series, it is NOT just $5 billion. It is much more than that. About $40 billion at stake.
  • Reply 15 of 32
    igorskyigorsky Posts: 752member
    Samsung gonna be Samsung.
    dysamoriawatto_cobra
  • Reply 16 of 32
    jbdragonjbdragon Posts: 2,305member
    maestro64 said:
    someone needs to x-ray those batteries to see if the internal show they came issue as the S7 note phone. I still believe Samsung had a design issue more than manufacturing variability issue.
    I hear Samesung is X-Raying every phone to make sure there are no problems. How true that is?!?!
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 17 of 32
    maestro64maestro64 Posts: 5,043member
    jbdragon said:
    maestro64 said:
    someone needs to x-ray those batteries to see if the internal show they came issue as the S7 note phone. I still believe Samsung had a design issue more than manufacturing variability issue.
    I hear Samesung is X-Raying every phone to make sure there are no problems. How true that is?!?!

    I doubt that very much, this would assume the person or system would be able to recognize all situations which constitute a failure mechanism. X-raying may find the gross problem, but the batteries failed over time, there was something more going on, they most likely did not understand. The x-ray found what they knew what they were looking for. I personally think their fast charging circuit and algorithm played into the problem it helped accelerate possible minor defects in the battery which may have never failed unless put under the right conditions. 
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 18 of 32
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    Steve Jobs' Force ghost: "Boom."
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 19 of 32
    eightzeroeightzero Posts: 3,056member
    sdw2001 said:
    I don't know specifically what the issue was, but this doesn't seem like a surprise to me.  They aren't going to risk another $5 billion (added to the hit they'll take in the market).  If they are confident it's a quality control issue, so am I.  I still think Samsung blows for anything other than TV's and blu-ray players, so who cares?  
    I might if the guy/gal next to me on a plane has one. 

    Honestly, what are you supposed to do? I understand the Note 7 is still contraband, and our uber-efficient TSA in the US is so fond of announcing "if you see something say something." So...I ask the person with one "is that a note 7?" If yes, then I report them to the flight crew? And when the United Police show up, I'm gonna be real popular with a seat mate that I've been packed spoon-fashion next to.

    Even if there is no major incident, the next one of these things that goes off is gonna result in...consequences.
  • Reply 20 of 32
    edited April 2017
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