The official said he heard that the decision was made in consideration of the safety of global consumers in the United States as well as in China and South Korea after consulting with regulatory authorities of the three countries. The suspension came as several cases of catching fire were reported even with replacement devices. According to media reports， eight cases were reported， including five in the United States， one in South Korea， one in China and one in Chinas Taiwan.

According to China Daily， in late September， Samsung apologized to Chinese consumers for failing to provide a detailed explanation over the safety of its Galaxy Note 7 smartphones on sale in China after more reports of fires involving the product.

Samsung said in a statement that the smartphones sent for customers in China use batteries from a different supplier， compared with the smartphones recalled at overseas market， and they can ensure the safety of these products that have passed testing and certification and analysis of the independent third-party research institute.

At present， the new Note 7 products that have been swapped at overseas markets are using the same battery supplier to those that are used for the Chinese version， Samsung said.

The company has begun a limited recall of the phones that affects 1，858 smartphones provided in July and August on a trial basis before the phones official launch on Sept 1 in China. Samsung said as these 1，858 phones use the similar batteries with those previously sold in the United States and South Korea， they have potential risks. Samsung said it has recalled most of the testing phones and was communi-cating with users for the rest phones.

Samsungs long-term prospects still look bright

On the other hand， the automotive industry is growing at a rapid rate and numerous companies are betting big on high-tech automotive futures. Samsung recently announced that it will buy Harman International Industries Inc.（NYSE：HAR） for$8 billion. Harman International is a leader in connected cars and automotive infotainment technology， as it owns various audio brands such as Lexicon and JBL.

According to statista.com， global smartphone shipments may reach its peak by 2018， which is why Samsung has decided to enter into the automotive segment. The company holds a robust position in the consumer electronics market but has not had a substantial presence in the automotive segment. Therefore， the companys decision to buy Harman International clearly suggests that it wants to make its presence strong in the rising automotive industry.

Taking every- thing into account， Samsung has accepted its mistake and is trying restore its reputation. Moreover， Samsungs decision to purchase Harman is a smart move because it will build a strong foundation for its automotive approach. As an outcome， Samsungs long-term prospects still look bright and investors should consider adding Samsung to their portfolios.