Samsung Galaxy S4 set ablaze by counterfeit battery

26 July, 2014
The phone started burning while being kept under a pillow, fortunately not harming the person sleeping on it.

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This is the con of removable batteries. There is a chance that you can install a counterfeit battery, compared to it's unremovable battery counterparts. In the end the likes of Sony won't get this kind of problems.

    • D
    • AnonD-244475
    • PA7
    • 27 Jul 2014

    it can keep my coffe warm XD

      • E
      • ElFuegoHumano
      • t7X
      • 27 Jul 2014

      This is the news Prince of Darkeness was talking about in the blog.

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        • AnonD-67553
        • 7X9
        • 27 Jul 2014

        That is the user error not the machine.

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          • AnonD-67553
          • 7X9
          • 27 Jul 2014

          Sometimes use our brain that any mobile phone is need ventilation process and do not place it to area without air flow. All electronic devices is produce heat energy.

            • m
            • migotka21
            • mMp
            • 27 Jul 2014

            I feel for her, she lost all her data.

              • i
              • islanders
              • fwI
              • 27 Jul 2014

              even with the original battery and i believe it was the original not counterfait it will explode

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                • Empulze
                • s%{
                • 27 Jul 2014

                Next on the list would be an S3 as they tend to overheat than usual due to the 4.3 update. Please try to solve this over heating issue. I have being using 4.1.2 on the s3 and never did it have this heat issue but after updating to 4.3 yes it does.

                  • M
                  • Marco Mate
                  • Jib
                  • 27 Jul 2014

                  It happened to my mom too. Thankfully it was not that insane like this. But it was hot enough to twist the screen cover case. The corners twisted inside and it became totally unusable. Nothing happened the phone, as I'm the owner of it right now. But I hate this phone, I cant even use any custom rom because it overheats the camera area more than the stock rom. I always put it further enough from my bed and never put it under my pillow. I'll hopefully change this piece of shiny sun when Xiaomi and Mi4 arrives our country :)

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                    • MdN8
                    • p41
                    • 27 Jul 2014

                    M and M, 27 Jul 2014This is to those who think that a user-replaceable battery ... moreSo? If someone isn't careful, let's not allow anyone to do it? This is just survival of the fittest, there's 7 billion humans on the planet so what's one more-less?

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                      • Apple Insider
                      • kCp
                      • 27 Jul 2014

                      Anonymous, 26 Jul 2014MADE IN CHINA BAD batteries -1 million sony laptops batteri... moreMost batteries are made in China, so what are you talking about?

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                        • AnonD-222770
                        • 0GR
                        • 27 Jul 2014

                        So, what did we learn from this incident? : Use original batteries and don't sleep with your phone.

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                          • Contract
                          • 39x
                          • 27 Jul 2014

                          AnonD-1825, 26 Jul 2014Glad she's ok. Good reminder that companies shouldnt make t... moreI agree in part but NOT the part about replaceable batteries

                          Every one of my phones had as sometime required a soft reset aka "battery pull" so from that having to have a service call to counter fake batteries is over kill

                          In addition fixed-in battery NO SPARE.

                          It was a choice of the real thing or the fake thing and FAKE won.

                          This imo is not even a news worthy story as all phones come with a use fake parts and you break warranty.

                          Parents do need to put restrictions on children as this is a flagship phone that a 13 year old had to be in constant contact with and it is becoming the norm to take phones and use the in the toilet, in the bath.

                          This hopefully should act as a warning, and people sleep with a phone in the room

                          Another no no is having your phone on charge all night
                          @iPhone 5S And E6 User you may want to read the user guide again

                          No where on this planet does anyone say it it ok to place your phone on charge overnight
                          They all say disconnect when full, but I suppose you know better

                          Ignoring instructions is nit newsworthy even if we are to believe it is done by a 13 year old

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                            • Dave
                            • mpE
                            • 27 Jul 2014

                            Has anyone heard of the news of an iPhone EXPLODING in the back pocket?? So its a simple case of following user instruction when using a device and not arguing over removable or non removable battery. Its all about common sense.

                              • ?
                              • Anonymous
                              • Nk@
                              • 27 Jul 2014

                              It is not Samsung's fault Samsung would be responsible it wasn't a cheap unofficial battery. And How can people afford a high end phone and can't afford the official Samsung battery?

                                • ?
                                • Anonymous
                                • sGJ
                                • 27 Jul 2014

                                Unfortunately many of the genuine batteries from the phone manufacturers are from China. Unless I buy the battery from a mobile carrier who also sells the phone or the phone manufacturer's company store I stay away from all batteries which say "Made In China"

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                                  • Angry Mobile Nerd
                                  • bEx
                                  • 27 Jul 2014

                                  Nope, I WILL partially blame Samsung. This is a huge problem that's been growing for years and they've done absolutely nothing to address it. Their choices are:

                                  a) Starting building phones with sealed, non-removable batteries.
                                  b) Employ newer label designs that are more difficult for counterfeiters to reproduce. Notice how they haven't even made an effort to change their label designs or add protective anti counterfeit features/measures?

                                  What happened in Texas is the tip of the iceberg. In Asia, Samsung counterfeit accessories (batteries, chargers, headphones) are *everywhere*. It sometimes feels like every reseller here is in the business of taking the original accessories out of the box and replacing them with fake ones. The latest trend now with S5/Note 3 is they're even taking the original back cover off the phone and replacing it with a fake one so if any of the letters of the logo come off you know you've been duped.

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                                    • AnonD-106654
                                    • 3sE
                                    • 27 Jul 2014

                                    Let's charge our phones and put them under our pillow so we can get warm in winter. Oh wait!!!!! Crazy crush @ high school has been texting you, if it gets annoying enough, just put your phone under your pillow :'D

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                                      • Chupacabra
                                      • kSi
                                      • 27 Jul 2014

                                      Galaxy smokes from owner using cheap unapproved 3rd party battery without safety features and while plugged in under a pillow. iPhones explode in pocket. Hmmm, wonder which is worse?

                                        This is to those who think that a user-replaceable battery is a good thing. This is just one of the things that can go wrong when everyone is able to remove their battery.