Verizon Won’t Brick Galaxy Note 7 Citing Conflicting Dedication To Customer Safety

Well, we were definitely wrong, because Verizon Wireless has just issued a statement saying that it will not send the death ROM update to Galaxy Note 7 devices. Interestingly enough, the company says that it is taking this precaution in order to ensure the safety of its customers in the case of an emergency. The statement reads:

Verizon will not be taking part in this update because of the added risk this could pose to Galaxy Note 7 users that do not have another device to switch to. We will not push a software upgrade that will eliminate the ability for the Note 7 to work as a mobile device in the heart of the holiday travel season. We do not want to make it impossible to contact family, first responders or medical professionals in an emergency situation.

For starters, this wording is a bit curious, as no one is going to be boarding a flight domestically or from the U.S. to a foreign destination with a Galaxy Note 7 in tow — they’ve been banned from all airlines. And the part about not being able to contact emergency responders is a bit comical considering that you wouldn’t be able to call anyway if your Galaxy Note 7 is on fire.

Verizon is instead encouraging customers to bring their devices back to a retail store for a refund or to exchange it for a new device. However, given that thousands of stubborn customers still haven’t taken this step yet, you can now see why Samsung took the extreme step to brick devices. Unfortunately, it appears that Verizon with its actions is simply enabling users to proceed down a potentially dangerous path.