A user of Samsung’s Galaxy Buds FE in Turkey was left with permanent hearing loss after one of the earbuds allegedly exploded in their ear. Specifically, it was the right bud that combusted and fizzled it.
Based on the pictures and according to the victim, their Galaxy Buds FE were brand new, had never been charged, and when they used it, it still had a 36% charge out of the box. It was at the moment that the owner’s girlfriend tried them on that they exploded in-ear, causing her to lose her hearing permanently.
Someone's Galaxy Buds FE exploded in their ear, resulting in permanent hearing loss. pic.twitter.com/dpEFP8VpNR
— Amir (@WorkaholicDavid) September 23, 2024
The accompanying images that were shared on the Samsung Community Forum in Turkey – Samsung appears to have removed the page – show the extent of the damage on the Galaxy Buds FE’s left earbud. The point of the explosion can clearly be seen on the root of the eartip.
The good news, for now at least, is that the user’s case seems to be an isolated incident; at the time of this article’s publication, there haven’t been any other similar reports.
Now comes the bad, if not worse news. When the user posted their tale of the exploding Galaxy Buds FE, Samsung challenged the claims, saying that the earbuds “did not burst and were only deformed”. Adding further insult to injury, The Korean tech giant reportedly then offered to replace the user’s defective set with a new one, as a gesture of “good faith”. “Take it or leave it. If you wish, you can pursue your legal rights,” was also what Samsung had allegedly told the victim’s boyfriend.
Ironically, this isn’t the first time Samsung has had to deal with issues of the combustible variety. Many of you may remember back in 2016, the company’s then-flagship Galaxy Note 7 phone was spontaneously combusting. The problem became so bad that airlines outright banned them and the company eventually recalled every single unit from the market. Months later, it released a report, explaining why its smartphone was exploding.
At the time of writing, there has been no official word from Samsung on the matter.
(Source: Android Headlines, Workholic Dave via X)
