Samsung to Roll Out Software Fix After Galaxy S8 Owners See Red
Some users complained of tinted screens, spotty Wi-Fi
(Bloomberg) -- Samsung Electronics Co. is releasing two software updates for its new Galaxy S8 phone after some users complained of seeing red-tinted screens and spotty Wi-Fi connections.
The Galaxy S8 started shipping last week, and some people who pre-ordered in South Korea complained about the display. Samsung originally recommended the users fix the problem manually, but has now confirmed it will allow users to rectify the issue via an update.
“Samsung has listened to feedback and has decided to release a software update starting from this week which will provide customers with a further enhanced ability to adjust the color setting to their preference,” South Korea-based Samsung said in an emailed statement Monday.
Samsung is pinning its hopes on its flagship smartphone offering, which launched in the U.S. on April 21, after the Note 7 debacle last year. That phone debuted to positive reviews only to be killed off after some units caught fire and exploded.
Unlike the battery issue that plagued the Note 7, the problem facing the Galaxy S8 is related to software. A separate update will deal with the inability to connect to certain high-speed Wi-Fi networks used by a local carrier and doesn’t mean there is a hardware issue with the S8, Samsung said.
Samsung accounted for 26 percent of global smartphone sales in the first quarter of this year, ahead of Apple’s 17 percent, according to TrendForce. Apple is expected to unveil its new iPhone later in 2017 -- the 10th anniversary of the iconic device.
To contact the reporters on this story: Giles Turner in London at gturner35@bloomberg.net, Sam Kim in Seoul at skim609@bloomberg.net.
To contact the editors responsible for this story: Giles Turner at gturner35@bloomberg.net, Molly Schuetz, Nate Lanxon