Samsung, a South Korean manufacturer, announced the Galaxy Note 8 last week, pointing at many improvements consumers expect to see in smartphones, like more speed and a better camera.
It also has one key new feature: It is unlikely to explode.
Samsung said the Note 8’s battery underwent a series of safety checks. And to be extra sure, the company for the first time brought in a product safety consultant, Underwriters Laboratories, to do additional tests.
Samsung also gave the Note 8, which is scheduled to arrive in stores on Sept. 15, more typical upgrades. Besides supposedly being explosion-resistant, the device is also water- and dust-resistant. The digital stylus included for jotting down notes has better pressure sensitivity and a finer tip.
With these improvements, Samsung said it believed it was in the clear after it had to kill the Note 7 last year following safety recalls. The company said it surveyed thousands of Note customers afterward, asking them how they felt about the phone. Eight out of 10 used the word “love,” Justin Denison, Samsung’s head of product strategy, said in an interview.
