Galaxy Note 4 batteries recalled over safety fears ahead of Note 8 launch

Samsung is recalling thousands of batteries from its Galaxy Note 4 handset fearing safety risks it may cause days before Galaxy Note 8 launch.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission has issued the recall noticing that the batteries fitted in the 2014 Galaxy Note model have a tendency to “overheat” and “poses risks of burns and fire hazards”, reported CNET.

The South Korean tech giant is recalling about 10,200 Galaxy Note 4's batteries. The firm recalled millions of Galaxy Note 7 devices last year following reports over battery explosion during and after charging.

Samsung’s announcement about another Galaxy Note handsets' battery recall has raised concerns about the upcoming Galaxy Note 8 device, scheduled to be launch on August 23 in an event in New York. 

However, unlike the Galaxy Note 7 debacle, Samsung claims that the problem was only found in refurbished Galaxy Note 4 models repaired by FedEx Supply Chain through an AT&T insurance programme.  It said the affected batteries found in Note 4 models, distributed between December 2016 and April 2017 under the scheme, aren’t genuine Samsung product but could be counterfeit’s.

"FedEx Supply Chain has recalled a batch of lithium batteries that were installed in mobile devices," Samsung told in a statement to CNET, "As some of the batteries may be counterfeit. We are closely engaged with our customer to make sure all of these lithium batteries are safely and quickly returned, and will replace those lithium batteries free of charge for consumers."