Samsung begins to replace Galaxy Note 7

Samsung Electronics has begun delivering the new Galaxy Note 7 to users after a worldwide recall following reports of several handsets exploding.

"The exchange program began today (Monday) and is being carried out without problems," a Samsung spokesperson told EFE.

Note 7 users who had returned their old devices will receive a new smartphone of the same model and color unless they opted for a refund.

In South Korea, the exchange is taking place 17 days after the company announced the recall and will take place in other parts of the world in the coming days, except Canada and Singapore, where the company began handing out the new devices last week.

The new Galaxy Note 7 has a green battery indicator that separates it from the earlier version.

Of the 2.5 million Note 7 sold worldwide since its launch on August 19, around 400,000 were sold in South Korea and one million in the US.

Samsung recalled Note 7 on September 2 after admitting that in 35 cases the devices had caught fire while they were being charged owing to faulty batteries.