Owners of the new Samsung Galaxy Note 7 have been urged to stop using their phones amid fears they could explode.
The technology giant warned it had stopped sales of the model and asked customers to use another phone while they exchange it for another one.
It comes after US authorities warned airline passengers against switching on or charging the phones on flights after reports of the devices exploding, though none were on planes.
US media outlet Fox 10 reported claims one faulty Galaxy Note 7 sparked a blaze to a family’s Jeep.
Three airlines in Australia have already banned passengers from using the smartphone after Samsung recalled the product last week.
In a statement published today on its website, Samsung said: “There have been a small number of cases reported globally and we are currently conducting a thorough inspection with our suppliers to identify possible affected batteries in the market.
“However, because our customers’ safety is an absolute priority at Samsung, we have stopped sales of the Galaxy Note 7.
The company told customers it would start replacing Galaxy Note 7 devices with new ones starting from September 19.
It said battery problems lay behind the fault following an investigation.
