Following the global recall of Samsung’s latest flagship smartphone, the Galaxy Note7, due to problems with some of the devices’ batteries, the Korean consumer electronics giant has announced a new launch date for the phone in South Africa.

The Note7 will now go on sale locally in November, two months after its original scheduled launch date. Pre-orders will open before then, said Craige Fleischer, director of integrated mobility at Samsung Electronics South Africa.

The batteries in some Note7 units can malfunction, triggering excessive heat and possibly fire, as the result of an error in production on plates in the battery cells.

“As the Galaxy Note7 had not been officially launched in the South African market at the time the battery cell challenges were identified, we took the decision not to release the handset into the South African market until these challenges are overcome. As such, the Galaxy Note7 will be available in South Africa in November,” said Fleischer.

On 14 September, Samsung said it would release a software update to help reduce the risk of incidents relating to the battery cell issues by limiting the maximum battery charge to 60%, said Fleischer. Adoption of the software update could vary by each market depending on market situation and local requirements.

“As the Galaxy Note7 has not yet officially been launched in South Africa, this will not be applicable to the South African market. South African customers will receive Galaxy Note7s that offer full battery usage,” he said.