The Samsung Galaxy S4 is one of the more popular smartphones in the world today. However, one angry customer has posted a damaging online video that could hurt Samsung’s reputation.
On Dec. 2, Canadian resident Richard Wygand posted a YouTube video in which he claimed that his Galaxy S4 was gravely defective.
“I just plugged it in to charge it,” Wygand says in the video. “Went to sleep, woke up to smoke and a little bit of burning.”
Wygand shows off his S4’s damaged power plug, which appears to be severely burned and warped (see the image, above).
Also in the video, Wygand describes his attempt to get a replacement. “We have a service provider; it’s Rogers here in Canada,” he says. “Rogers” seen it, and they freaked out.
They even said, ‘You could send it in through us — it’ll take three weeks — or just go see Samsung.’ So he called Samsung and a representative said they needed to see some proof via video. There’s a saying that says “be careful what you ask for.”
The video he posted gained wide viewership thanks in part to a Dec. 6 post on Reddit, which was later highlighted on the Daily Dot.
Wygand did post a new video that offered an update, which included some disturbing news.
He said that in order to receive a “similar model” replacement phone, Samsung allegedly asked that he first sign a legal document that would require him to remove his videos from YouTube.
Samsung also wanted him to remain silent about the agreement and to surrender any possible future claims against the company.
He was very angry in follow-up video below, Wygand said, “I’m making this aware to any people who are thinking about buying an S4 or have an S4.
Be careful with them … This is really sketchy … I was a Samsung fan until I read this letter.”
At another point in the video, Wygand mentions a widely reported incident in Hong Kong, in which a burning S4 allegedly caused a building fire.
That report, which cropped up earlier this year, was made by China’s ITHome and Xianguo, and was later picked up by UK tech site The Register. However, the alleged incident has gone unnoticed by smartphone consumers.
You can sound in the comments section below and let me know if this has happened to you or someone you know.