If you're hanging onto your Samsung Galaxy Note 7 and it hasn't yet turned into a mobile bonfire, it'll soon be little more than a brick. Samsung announced that it will soon issue an OTA update to "further increase participation" in its successful recall program. The update, set to roll out December 19, will disable both the handset's charging and "the ability to work as a mobile device."
After a disastrous launch that had the Galaxy Note 7 phones starting on fire in bedrooms and airplanes—and a first recall that didn't resolve the problem—Samsung decided to end production, asking that all owners of the phone return it directly to the company or their vendor for a full refund. The company has even been offering up $100 in credit to owners who bring their phones in.
Samsung says 93% of all Galaxy Note 7 phones have been returned. Of the roughly 1 million devices sold, that means that about 70 thousand are still out in the wild, either with users who somehow missed the memo or who decided to try to hang on to the phone. Aside from the whole catching-on-fire thing, the Note 7 was doing pretty well among both the press and consumers, after all.
As an additional note, Verizon has announced that it won't be rolling out this update, stating that it "could pose added risk to Galaxy Note 7 users that do not have another device to switch to." The carrier said it doesn't want to make it impossible for Note 7 owners to contact family, first responders, or medical professionals in emergency situations.
If you haven't yet taken your Note 7 in, now is the time. The phone works for a little bit longer, and Samsung is still offering up those credits.