How I think the Note 7 should have been released

[BlackZeppelin]

Report claims Samsung Galaxy Note 7 battery crisis caused by rush to outshine iPhone 7 | Daily Mail Online
Report claims Samsung Galaxy Note 7 battery crisis caused by rush to outshine iPhone 7 | Daily Mail Online

Above is an article stating basically 2 things, which a lot of analysts are repeating. That the Note 7 was rushed into production to beat iPhone 7, putting a lot of pressure on suppliers who had to so step up production and meet difficult deadlines. And the risky decision to increase battery capacity whilst keeping the same phone thickness. With this last point, I don't see anyone from here saying how all these analysts are running around in tin foil hats. But I digress.

So let's put it this way. You develop a very high end phone with iris scanner and the technical difficulty of waterproofing a device with an S pen. Such a device with these features can't be released properly and all sorted out, in time for the iPhone 7.

So what would you do? How would you release it?

Well this is me. If the Note 7 had to be released a bit after iPhone 7, so be it. What I would have done is a month before release, have a massive advertising blitz-a stunning short and simple one. Just run commercials showing very briefly unlocking the phone with the eyes and writing on a blank screen with the S pen, whilst the phone was being drenched in water.

That is my solution. That would create enough interest for some people to
hold off the iPhone 7 and wait for the Note 7. Meanwhile ensuring the Note 7 ticked all its quality controls.

Thoughts?

 

[anon(782252)]

It's over and done now. I'm sure every single Samsung employee would gladly have waited to avoid this. I'm sure lesson learned for them.

The are deadlines all the time. This one didn't work out for them.

 

[nahoku]

I guess I'm wondering why it even matters anymore. The press can write all they want now. Nothing will change the past.

 

[BlackZeppelin]

I guess I'm wondering why it even matters anymore. The press can write all they want now. Nothing will change the past.

As they say, it ain't over till the fat lady sings. This issue is not over by a long shot. I went into a Telstra store here in Australia and was told the Note 7 won't be in for another month. So not over yet.

But my thread was asking how would you handle the Note 7 release if it couldn't be released properly before iPhone 7?

 

[nahoku]

As they say, it ain't over till the fat lady sings. This issue is not over by a long shot.

It's over. The phone was released, the phone was recalled. New phones will be delivered (hopefully with good batteries!). What else is there besides a field day for reporters to play in now?

Regardless or what you, I, or anyone else would have done, it doesn't matter anymore. It's over... unless batteries begin catching fire in the replacement Note 7's!

 

[dogdooley]

I don't believe this had anything to do with the release date. It was a manufacturing defect at the Samsung SDI plant. The super thin battery design may be an issue, but that is how it was designed and wouldn't matter when it was released. The iPhone itself was released too soon as is evidenced by the fact that there are no 7+ models in any store. All flagship phones are mass produced in a hurry and released at strategic times.

 

[Carlo Villa]

To the OP, what makes you think that your idea would have prevented a battery issue?

No matter how you slice it, it happened, and I can't wait until tomorrow to put this behind and enjoy using my beautiful phone again

 

[debdroid1a]

I thought everyone was saying the Note 7 is basically a S7 Edge with a few tweaks and an Spen? So how is that rushed?

Also released same time line as other Notes.

Note 1 released October 2011
Note 2 released September 2012
Note 3 released September 2013
Note 4 released October 2014
Note 5 released August 2015
Note 7 released August 19, 2016

The Note 5 seems like it was rushed.

 

[BlackZeppelin]

I thought everyone was saying the Note 7 is basically a S7 Edge with a few tweaks and an Spen? So how is that rushed?

Also released same time line as other Notes.

Note 1 released October 2011
Note 2 released September 2012
Note 3 released September 2013
Note 4 released October 2014
Note 5 released August 2015
Note 7 released August 19, 2016

The Note 5 seems like it was rushed.

You don't seem to understand. The Note 7 was not rushed because it was necessarily released earlier than previous Notes. The release was too soon because of all the advanced features over previous Notes. Hence it needed more time to make a proper and sorted out release.

On top of that, the significant 500mah increase in battery capacity with no increase in size was a major technical challenge. There were pressures left, right and centre in all processes of manufacture including the battery. The combination of a battery at its limits of engineering plus the pressures of an unrealistic release date led to this fiasco.

 

[debdroid1a]

all the advanced features over previous Notes.

No wonder the Note 7 was so popular. And will be.

 

[Ambivalencetech]

Samsung had good reason to do a recall. Not the first and likely not the last time this happens to a major OEM. Funny world we live in. Something goes wrong and suddenly everyone is an arm chair expert. There would most likely be a dip in sales because of this fiasco. If any one has ever been involved in manufacturing then useful information can be shared. Otherwise just move over to another phone if you don't want the note 7

 

[ahaxton]

You don't seem to understand. The Note 7 was not rushed because it was necessarily released earlier than previous Notes. The release was too soon because of all the advanced features over previous Notes. Hence it needed more time to make a proper and sorted out release.

On top of that, the significant 500mah increase in battery capacity with no increase in size was a major technical challenge. There were pressures left, right and centre in all processes of manufacture including the battery. The combination of a battery at its limits of engineering plus the pressures of an unrealistic release date led to this fiasco.

And yet their other battery vendor managed this with no problems. This is a vendor issue, not a time issue. The vendor screwed up. It happens. And this would likely have been difficult to catch in QA, if the numbers are to be trusted, they've sold roughly 1.5 million phones, and had 90ish occurrences reported. Rounding up to 100 occurrences, we are talking a problem found in 0.006% of phones so far. I'm not sure how you check for that. The vendor screwed up, Samsung is not going to use that vendor moving forward, problem solved. The timeline had nothing to do with it. If it did, the other vendor, Amperex Technology Ltd, would be having issues as well. They aren't.

 

[ThrottleJohnny]

And yet their other battery vendor managed this with no problems. This is a vendor issue, not a time issue. The vendor screwed up. It happens. And this would likely have been difficult to catch in QA, if the numbers are to be trusted, they've sold roughly 1.5 million phones, and had 90ish occurrences reported. Rounding up to 100 occurrences, we are talking a problem found in 0.006% of phones so far. I'm not sure how you check for that. The vendor screwed up, Samsung is not going to use that vendor moving forward, problem solved. The timeline had nothing to do with it. If it did, the other vendor, Amperex Technology Ltd, would be having issues as well. They aren't.

You nailed it.

The Bloomberg article is making a lot of assumptions along with everyone else.

 

[dlgus]

As they say, it ain't over till the fat lady sings. This issue is not over by a long shot. I went into a Telstra store here in Australia and was told the Note 7 won't be in for another month. So not over yet.

But my thread was asking how would you handle the Note 7 release if it couldn't be released properly before iPhone 7?

Easy to say what 'we' would have done from our position as 'Monday Morning Quarterback'
Samsung did what it did, the way it did. It is what it is, and they are doing a wonderful job at getting the replacements back into the hands of us who want them.

 

[dlgus]

To the OP, what makes you think that your idea would have prevented a battery issue?

No matter how you slice it, it happened, and I can't wait until tomorrow to put this behind and enjoy using my beautiful phone again

Amen!

 

[dvarapala]

And yet their other battery vendor managed this with no problems. This is a vendor issue, not a time issue. The vendor screwed up.

Well, it's still possible that the vendor screwed up because Samsung rushed them. Or maybe there was insufficient time for the vendor to fully test the batteries due to the tight release schedule.

 

[ahaxton]

Well, it's still possible that the vendor screwed up because Samsung rushed them. Or maybe there was insufficient time for the vendor to fully test the batteries due to the tight release schedule.

I would argue the other vendor was able to complete their production successfully. So I would further argue that it was a failure of the vendor. Perhaps Samsung shares some blame for not ensuring their vendor was able to complete production, but that is a failure of management, not rushed scheduling.