A troubling incident in South Korea has reignited concerns about smartphone safety. Local reports claim that a Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus spontaneously caught fire—without being plugged in for charging. According to the owner, who posted about the experience on Samsung’s South Korean forums (in a post translated from Korean), “I was holding the S25+ in my hand when it began to overheat and make a loud noise, so I dropped it on the floor—and it started to burn.”
This report immediately drew attention from Samsung users, evoking memories of the Galaxy Note 7 recall in 2016, when battery defects led to overheating and fire hazards. While no widespread issue has been confirmed with current models, the S25+ case has raised new questions about the durability and safety of Samsung’s batteries.
A Pattern of Battery Concerns
Although Samsung has made major strides in battery safety since the Note 7 days, isolated issues have persisted. In 2022, some users reported battery swelling in Galaxy smartphones after prolonged use. More recently, a Galaxy Ring suffered a similar swelling issue that caused it to get stuck on a user’s finger. While that appeared to be an isolated case, such incidents highlight how fragile battery reliability can be in modern smart devices.
Samsung’s Response
The affected S25 Plus has reportedly been sent to an official Samsung service center for investigation. As of now, the company has not released an official statement about the cause of the fire or whether this could be part of a broader issue. The user who reported the incident said they received a full refund from Samsung.
For now, details remain scarce. The circumstances surrounding the event—what the device was doing, how long it had been used, or whether any third-party accessories were involved—are unclear. Until Samsung provides a technical explanation, the situation leaves more questions than answers.
Looking Ahead
This case underscores the ongoing tension between battery efficiency and safety in increasingly powerful smartphones. With Samsung expected to retain its existing battery design for the upcoming Galaxy S26, current and future users alike will be watching closely for reassurances that this incident is an isolated one—not an early warning sign of a broader problem.
