Samsung Galaxy S8+ Teardown Reveals Unsettling Note 7 Similarities

In the wake of last summer’s explosive Galaxy Note 7 battery debacle, Samsung has been adamant that it’s taking the appropriate precautions, even going so far as to instate a new 8-point battery check protocol, to ensure that history doesn’t repeat itself. And while Sammy is certainly hedging its bets that a heightened sense of responsibility — coupled with the company’s verbal assurances of a safer, fire-free future — will be enough to turn the tides in its favor once again, a recent iFixIt teardown, unfortunately, has revealed that at least the Galaxy S8+ flagship isn’t that materially different than its doomed cousin.

While Samsung has been unquestionably confident that the Galaxy Note 7’s battery issues were in no way related to design or parts — but rather, merely the result of “manufacturing issues,” the inquisitive hands over at iFixIt have, in their typical unabashed fashion, performed a routine dissection of the soon-to-ship Galaxy S8+ revealing, oddly enough, that the internal design of the device isn’t much at all different than that of the Galaxy Note 7 before it.

To add insult to injury, iFixIt discovered that the battery pack installed in their personal Galaxy S8+ unit was not only manufactured by the same supplier contracted to produce batteries for the Note 7, but that it’s also “virtually identical” to the Note 7’s “in many ways,” including in its voltage, capacity, and “design tolerances.” For instance, the Galaxy S8+ has a battery that’s based on the same exact 3,500 mAh, 13.48 Wh capacity of the Note 7’s.

“Samsung is clearly confident that their battery issue was a manufacturing quality assurance one, and the S8 series’ glued-in battery is proof they have faith in their 8-point plan,” the solutions provider wrote, while cautioning, however, that “The design surrounding the battery —its installed position, spacing, and reinforcement —is very, very similar to the Note 7.”

While it may seem as if Samsung is arbitrarily setting the stage for an equally fiery battery fiasco 2.0, it’s important to note, says iFixIt, that not all batteries destined for the upcoming S8/S8+ will be manufactured by the same supplier. Samsung has in fact called upon several different entities to provide batteries for the device — although the design, adhesion, and capacity will remain constant across the board.

Interestingly, even after enduring perhaps the most damaging public relations episode on record, Samsung decided to refurbish the majority of returned Galaxy Note 7 units in accordance with its new 8-step battery check program, and recently began offering them for sale in select international markets around the world.

The Galaxy S8/S8+ flagships were revealed late last month, with the first round of units expected to begin shipping to customers towards the end of April so it’s really only a matter of time until we find out how effective these new battery check measures will be.