Samsung’s strokes of bad luck have finally come to an end. After weeks of investigating the Note7 debacle, Samsung has an answer for affected users and concerned fans: their most powerful phablet to date is safe once again.

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What happened to the Note7?

During a short roundtable discussion today, Samsung Philippines has pinpointed that the defective Note7 batteries combusted due to a slight misalignment of the positive and negative cathodes, which resulted in insufficient insulation and overheating. After the discovery, Samsung has produced and retested 2.5 million new units to replace the defective ones in just two weeks. The units will be shipped only for recall purposes. Seven thousand of which will head to the Philippines.

Fortunately for Samsung Philippines, there is only one confirmed case of Note7 combustion in the country. However, there have been multiple fraudulent cases. The company has already identified the IMEIs of the defective units to prevent further misdiagnosed cases.

When asked what will happen to the old phones, Samsung Philippines says that they will be shipped back to the company’s international headquarters in South Korea. Succeeding steps will depend on Samsung International but the most likely scenario will be to destroy the old units and to recycle the refuse.

How do I get my Note7 replaced?

“Safety is our priority,” says Samsung Philippines. They will not sell any new units until they’ve replaced all of the old ones. Starting tomorrow, October 1st, authorized Samsung dealers and telco operators are expected to have the units ready. Note7 users may visit their place of purchase. They will simply need to present their old Galaxy Note7, the full box, receipt or proof of purchase, and one valid ID. Samsung Philippines will also be giving owners of Galaxy Note7 units, who opt to participate in the program, a screen protector (worth P399) and a P1,000 gift certificate for accessories to be used in any Samsung Experience Store nationwide. The units’ warranties will also be reset to the date of exchange, rather than date of purchase.

For devices purchased through Globe or Smart, owners may communicate with their operators to have their devices replaced. For devices purchased through unauthorized gray markets (see: Greenhills), however, Samsung will NOT be able to replace those units as NTC guidelines prohibit them from doing so. Any unit replacements will have to be negotiated between the user and the dealer themselves. 

How do I know if my Note7 is safe?

The new Samsung Galaxy Note7 units will come with three signifiers: a black bar on the box, a green battery icon, and a verifiable IMEI. All three symbols should be present on the units.

The green battery icon replaces the old white battery icon in three specific software changes. The new green battery icon will be visible on the notification bar, the Power Off prompt screen, and the Always On display. This icon will indicated that the device is new and safe for charging. 

Additionally, Galaxy Note7 users are urged to check their new device by locating their IMEI number on the back of the phone or on the packaging, and entering the number into the online registration site at www.samsung.com/ph/note7imeichecker/. This checker is the most accurate way to check if the device has been battery checked.

For those looking to buy their own unit, Samsung Philippines will plan a product relaunch at a later date. Meanwhile, check our review of the Note7.