Samsung Galaxy Note Explodes, Owner Injured

A Samsung Galaxy Note exploded over the weekend, injuring the 55-year old Korean man who had the device in his pocket. The English edition of The Chosunilbo reported that the man was being treated for second-degree burns on his right thigh from the incident.

Samsung Galaxy Note Fire

TMO Artist's Rendition of the Victim's Happy Moment

This mirrors incidents that have occurred with iPhones in the last couple of years, but as Philip Elmer-Dewitt noted at Forbes, Samsung battery fires have gotten a fraction of the attention that Apple's iPhone received.

The same report from The Chosunilbo also mentioned a schoolboy in Gwangju who suffered injury when his Samsung Galaxy SII exploded in his pants pocket. A Motorola Droid Bionic caught fire at Defcon in July of 2012.

The reality, of course, is that lithium ion batteries can catch fire. It's not exclusive to Apple, Samsung, or any other device maker. Heretofore, Apple has gotten a lot of coverage for the incidents involving its iPhone because Apple gets a disproportionate amount of coverage for anything and everything it does, for both good and ill.

In December of 2011, Mobie and Best Buy (Rocketfish brand) both recalled battery extender cases for the iPhone related to overheating problems. In April of 2008, Sony and Apple both settled a lawsuit relating to defective MacBook batteries.

As of this writing, no class action has been launched against Samsung for the battery fires occurring with its devices.

Thanks to Shutterstock for help and help with the image.