Open legal draft to Samsung regarding S7 Active water damage faults (ALL Active users please read)

[PLaBar]

Slade8525 - You and your girl friend Rock! Thanks for taking your time to do this.

 

[tkuhe]

I think I am going to wait to see what happens with this before I test mine in the water.

 

[bkrell]

Boy, I hate our device has such a relatively small user base. Samsung got shamed pretty quickly into recalling the potentially exploding Note 7's. Bad timing, too, with the iPhone 7 roll out next week. Too bad we didn't get that treatment, hint, hint...

 

[TylerLV76]

Boy, I hate our device has such a relatively small user base. Samsung got shamed pretty quickly into recalling the potentially exploding Note 7's. Bad timing, too, with the iPhone 7 roll out next week. Too bad we didn't get that treatment, hint, hint...

This is the last time I buy devices at launch. First the Active and now the Note. I just came back to android and Samsung after they burned me with the S3 and my first launch phones drowns and my second one catches fire. I figure the next one needs to cause violent tremors to complete the trifecta.

 

[FLTimmyB]

Maybe they will call it a feature next time vs a flaw...water in camera lens = foggy effect feature, phone on fire in pocket , built in warmer feature. Its all in the advertising. I am betting the Quality Control department at Samsung will have some job openings soon as well as engineering. I sense they need to redo the manufacturing process, to ensure that the quality comes up, or they will be eaten alive by apple , htc and Nokia (if nokia comes back)

 

[jlczl]

I must be getting extremely lucky now unlike past years because my S7 active has proven to be one of the best, if not the best phone I have ever had. It's been in the water, it's been dropped, it's been taking everything like a champ and is phenomenal in every way. I also have a Note 7 and my Note 7 has been great ever since I got it and without any issues. I love both of these phones, they are remarkable and have proven to be the peak of cellular technology. I will go ahead and take the swap on my Note 7 because you never know what may be going on inside it but I hope my replacement is as good as the one I have now.

 

[PLaBar]

jlczl - The replacement will be a Galaxy S7 or S7 Edge.

 

[jlczl]

jlczl - The replacement will be a Galaxy S7 or S7 Edge.

I'm talking about replacing the Note 7 with the recall that's going on with those phones. My Note 7 has been great but since they're offering a replacement I might as well go ahead and take one that is not prone to catching on fire. I'll just wait till they have them in stock.

 

[bkrell]

That's what he was saying. There have been reports the immediate replacement will be the edge or regular galaxy

 

[Slade8525]

UPDATE

AT&T is honoring almost any water damage related issues with the S7 Active, including insurance reversals. Its a direct, new S7 Active phone replacement; i haven't replaced either of ours (just got a Note 7 from the GF THE DAY BEFORE THE RECALL CAME OUT LOL... So ive been bogged down with dealing with that stuff too now for myself and some friends.

https://forums.androidcentral.com/e...UbpObpQ-rp2O.4BDlfdWG8wl.LFPOw&token=3eovze39

Pro tip; dont EVER buy a phone from Best Buy... EVER. GF bought me a Note 7 its been a NIGHTMARE to try to get returned... 4 stores would not accept the Note 7 return (thats where she bought it from; i had mentioned the silver looked nice, she went in for a keyboard and got me the phone as a surprise; HUGE pain to try to return; 3 wouldnt do it, 4th wouldnt waive the restocking fee EVEN THOUGH IT SAYS SO ON THEIR WEBSITE... Anyways)

Anyways far as the S7 Active exchange, BOOYA!

1 year manufacturer warranty carries over to new, fixed device as well. Oddly, both my GF and my own S7 Active survived 25 minute dunks in (albeit only 2 feet) of water; havent had time to build a 5 foot clear tube to fill and test them with just yet; might not have to as they are now replacing any with water related damage.


...still working on extended warranty/lil something-something for our troubles; best case is go thru BOTH samsung directly about it, as well as AT&T; see what they will offer you on a case by case basis. Honestly, the user uptake/base is too small to do much of anything. We COULD do it, but it would be a TON of time/effort/etc for very little in return, and we cant really afford the time needed to do this properly pro bono (otherwise we would). I've been with AT&T since 9/12/01, so that gives me some significant pull. I cant say much else for now, BUT if you experienced ANY water damage related to your S7 Active, get it swapped out.

We are still gunning for some compensation FYI; i'll update as we get more.

 

[bkrell]

I don't understand....

This is the same AT&T page that's been up for a while and the same language they used with me. There's a link to it on the Consumer Reports article from several weeks ago. Samsung Won't Offer Lifetime Warranty on Faulty Galaxy S7 Actives - Consumer Reports

Did you get something in writing stating the devices would be anything more than their standard warranty exchanges? Because that's what I got, a standard warranty exchange. I mean, it had a much newer manufacture date than my original phone and everything...

 

[Slade8525]

yes, but they are honoring water damage PERIOD, and you dont have to prove it.

the rest is still being fought over as we speak. I can confirm from 2 sources the replacements were new, not refurbs, and mid-august manufacture dates, and both survived 1 meter for 20 minutes; no fog, haze, or issues, unlike the devices they replaced.

 

[bkrell]

No offense, not questioning, it's just I got basically the exact same language on August 11. I didn't have to prove anything either. I just had to get passed the frontline customer service person and talk to retention. But they did it with no hassle and when they transferred me to warranty claims, they were fine w/ my phone not being damaged either. My replacement phone had been made July 18, making it 3 weeks and 3 days old when it got shipped on August 11 (and just passed the date where they "fixed" the problem. That makes these mid-August phones about the same age to a few days newer when they shipped out. What they explained to me is that they weren't phones that had been in consumer's hands, just that they had been tested or something and were guaranteed to be perfect working order and unblemished. The only difference I could perceive was my replacement phone came in the warranty exchange box. I dunno, either way good to see at least people aren't getting hassled.

 

[Slade8525]

hey not at all; any info as far as we are concerned is ammo for the fight.

were not finished with this, we just got confirmation a few times it was no hassle/no questions (assuming it wasnt damaged ie dropped severely etc), and had 2 confirmed replacements pass a rudimentary dunk test previous units failed. Phone Info (Samsung) states mid-august production dates, Korean build, and devices are listed as 'New', as per what Samsung told our friends.

Language probably wont change; their actions might however. they will likely NEVER recall this device to be honest, and i can understand why, even though i personally am an affected consumer. The real push is to get them all replaced with fixed new devices; then push for something else too.

I wish i could give you a more affirmative response, but at this time, thats all i have or all i can say. Its still a work in progress.

Again, both my GF and my own S7 Active have worked just fine after long duration underwater, as have some others, that were launch devices.

I know of one user, personally, who has gone kayaking and waded/swam for a good 20 minutes with the device in her pocket; it was a launch day purchase. My GF and i bought ours shortly after our camping/kayak trip with said user was over; its why we bought them; its what i expect out of our devices and your device as well; just what they advertised.

This, on top of the Note 7 issue, is REALLY turning me off to Samsung right now; mostly the downtime and wasted time to get a return initiated, AND the 'dead time' where the faulty device is shipped out, and a replacement has not yet arrived; thats the key part we are now engaged in negotiating; compensation for downtime/lost time/productivity/etc.

My time isn't free; even my consultations cost more than this phone. My GF's are even pricier. Your time is JUST as valuable; you purchased the device based on its advertised specs; it doesnt matter why or how it failed to live up to its advertised specs; its an acknowledged flaw, which causes grievance to the user, and that user should be compensated.

 

[tkuhe]

Thanks for all the info everyone. Question, do I need to even test my phone? Just curious as it would be great if I could just get a new phone S7A and the set it up using my old phone and send them my old one back? Or I get the new phone, in hand, and then test my current on so that I dont have to be out of a phone.

 

[bkrell]

I didn't have to test mine.

 

[TylerLV76]

Thanks for all the info everyone. Question, do I need to even test my phone? Just curious as it would be great if I could just get a new phone S7A and the set it up using my old phone and send them my old one back? Or I get the new phone, in hand, and then test my current on so that I dont have to be out of a phone.

Testing is up to you really. If you test it and it fails the phone generally still works but your front camera will fog up. Take out your sim and sd card before doing so because that area fails also. If it fails it'll take 5 or less days to get a new one. My last one I got next day at no charge.

 

[Mal Lignant Tumor]

Has this gotten off the ground? Amy news?

 

[bkrell]

I used to debate back and forth over which was better, Samsung or iPhone, based solely on the qualities of the handset. What this Active issue, the Note 7 debacle, and my experiences with my Gear S2 smartwatch have taught me is it goes beyond the phone itself. It's what Samsung does and does not take responsibility for after the sale. Their customer service is atrocious compared to Apple. During my most recent experience trying to complain about getting a very early production date Active as a warranty swap, at one point I was transferred to Samsung's customer service. I was greeted by a very testy person at the end of a bad, scratchy connection who acted like she had no idea any Samsung phone had ever had a problem. I couldn't take her for more than a minute and a half before telling her she obviously wasn't prepared to help me and bid her goodbye.

Being in a household with a wife and two teen girls that all have iPhones still, I had to make two separate calls to AT&T about issues with their phones in the past few weeks. AT&T tech support, realizing I was beyond their technical grasp, passed me off to Applecare's iPhone support line. between the two phones, I spent probably three and a half hours on the phone with them as they meticulously troubleshot the problems I was experiencing. I couldn't believe I was getting this for free. I kept waiting for them each time to just give me a set of further instructions to carry on by myself, letting them get off the line. But they never did. I think it speaks volumes for how the two companies have conducted themselves. As much as I love my Active, when it's time for a new phone (especially now that they are water resistant), I'm probably switching back to Apple again.

Sorry for the rant, but I'm just tired of seeing this go in circles and get nowhere.

 

[Rosebillups13]

I just got this phone for my son a few months ago and ofcourse he dropped it and the screen cracked and spider. Now nobody will help me. They tell me to put an insurance claim in. And I don't agree being that the only reason I purchased this phone was because of the durability of it... Can we say False advertisement?!?