Samsung Self-Tested Note 7 Batteries; Apple Uses Third-Party Labs

One of the most interesting (and distressing) things about the entire Samsung Galaxy Note 7 battery fiasco (aside from the fact that they tend to spontaneously combust and catch on fire) is the fact that company has yet to completely understand the root cause of the issue. People are looking for answers, and Samsung’s head of mobile has promised to get to the bottom of the whole thing.

Now, a report from the Wall Street Journal states that Samsung is the only major worldwide smartphone manufacturer that utilizes its own battery testing facilities for CTIA certification.

In order to legally sell smartphones at all major U.S. carriers, phone manufacturers are legally required to test their phone batteries at one of the 28 labs certified by the CTIA, the United States’ wireless industry’s trade group. According to the Wall Street Journal, this “ensure[s] compliance with standards set by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.

Samsung’s own testing lab was indeed CTIA-certified, and the lab attempts to make sure the battery is functioning properly while making phone calls and while charging, two scenarios in which the battery is most likely to overheat.

Manufacturers like Samsung probably keep as much testing as possible in-house to protect their trade secrets, an expert told the WSJ, which is understandable in a highly competitive market like phone design.

As for your iPhone maker? Apple does indeed test its batteries at third-party CTIA-certified labs. Interestingly, both Motorola and Microsoft’s Nokia brand have also run their own labs with CTIA certification, but they are reportedly in the process of closing.

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