Galaxy Note 7 In Canada To Be Blocked By Carriers Next Week

If you're still holding on to the cursed Samsung Galaxy Note 7 and happen to live in Canada, consider your phone's days numbered. Samsung's Canadian outfit has just announced an upcoming move that will really force owners to hand over their Galaxy Note 7 for a refund or an exchange. In a nutshell, starting next week, the devices will no longer be able to function as smartphones and will, instead, be demoted to being offline media players, notepads, and mirrors. That is, if they don't explode first.

Heavy-handed as it may seem, Samsung Canada's move isn't exactly news. This follows what Australian carriers were reported to be already doing anyway. And months ago there were already rumors that Samsung France would lock down the Galaxy Note 7, something that was met with a bit of criticism. Back then, however, the smartphone still wasn't in an official, global recall. Things have changed drastically since then.

So here is how it will go down in Canada. Starting December 12, the Galaxy Note 7's battery charge will be severely limited, probably to 60% like in other countries implementing the restriction. In addition to that, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth will also stop working. Then on December 15, the smartphone will no longer be able to connect to any Canadian carrier, which means they won't be able to make calls, send or receive messages, or use cellular data.

The effect is that you will have a practically useless smartphone. And while you can technically still use it offline, Samsung isn't recommending it. Instead, it continues to urge the remaining 10% of owners to return their units. It doesn't say, though it might be implied, that the refund and exchange program might end on December 15.

And in case you were thinking of duping someone else by selling or giving the Galaxy Note 7 away, Samsung reminds such enterprising owners that such actions are deemed illegal. Anyone stubbornly refusing to let go of theirs should just keep them powered down and stored as a historical artifact.

SOURCE: Samsung Canada