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Fire and fury in Korea: Samsung burns Note 7 owners in lawsuit

Class action from hot-and-bothered compensation-seekers flames out

Samsung has seen off a class action brought by Koreans burned-out by the need to return their flammable Galaxy Note 7 phablets.

The Note 7 infamously included a battery that Samsung required to have unusually high energy density and nestled it into a space that gave it no breathing room. The result was numerous fires, airlines refusing to carry the devices, a nasty blowtorching for Samsung's reputation and all sorts of fun for Reg writers as we risked a flame war by pursuing the hot story while holding Samsung's feet to the fire.

In Samsung's home nation, South Korea, the mess inflamed the passions of some Note 7 buyers who fired off a flaming sueball seeking compensation for the inconvenience involved in handing in their devices for new and non-combustible Samsung machines, or a refund.

The 1,871 applicants also wanted compensation for the chore of firing up their new handsets and re-installing apps.

Yesterday the District Court of Seoul found in Samsung's favour, saying the sueball was silly because Samsung went out of its way to make things right and the level of inconvenience was not unreasonable.

Had Samsung lost, the applicants hoped to burn a 930 million won (US$810,000) hole in the electronics goliath's pockets.

It's unclear if the litigants plan to fire up an appeal, or let the matter gradually turn to ash now that the court has taken the heat out of their arguments. ®

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