Manufacturing flaw responsible for Galaxy Note 7 fires, admits Samsung

Private report filed with Korean standards agency two weeks ago

Samsung has blamed the problems with its Galaxy Note 7 smartphone on a battery manufacturing flaw.

A production error caused pressure on the battery's plates, generating heat and causing some phones to combust, it said.

The electronics giant was forced to issue a global recall of an estimated 2.5 million handsets after a spate of fires and reports of "exploding" devices - risks that have caused some airlines to issue a ban on passengers' use of the phones in plane cabins.

Samsung is carrying out further investigations, but its preliminary findings have been published in a report to the Korean Agency for Technology and Standards (KATS).

The report was filed on 2 September but was not made public at that time, according to Bloomberg.

"Even before we have the final result of the investigation, we plan to establish and carry out the best ways to take care of our customers. We are currently investigating the battery issue in cooperation with battery manufacturers," the company told KATS.

Samsung's stated determination to put its customers first may help mitigate long-term damage to its brand internationally, say analysts, but the timing of the recall may push some potential buyers towards Apple's newly launched iPhone 7.

Reuters reports that the problems mean that China's ATL will become the main supplier of batteries for the Galaxy Note 7 for the time being, replacing Samsung's own SDI subsidiary. Until the faults came to light, SDI had supplied roughly 70 per cent of the batteries worldwide, with ATL focusing on the Chinese market.

• Samsung is issuing a software update for the phone which will limit battery charging to 60 per cent, it announced today.