Samsung Electronics on Sunday urged its customers to exchange their Galaxy Note7 smartphones immediately, as reports of the device bursting into flames surfaced after the company conducted an international recall of the product. The South Korean company made this announcement on Saturday. United States issued a warning to Galaxy Note7 users to turn their phones off and to refrain from using it during flights. Airlines across the globe asked commuters to keep their phones in checked baggage, while others banned the use of the device on flights.

According to a report by AP, Samsung’s Mobile President Koh Dong-jin said, “We are asking users to power down their Galaxy Note7s and exchange them as soon as possible. We are expediting replacement devices so that they can be provided through the exchange program as conveniently as possible.”

Device users can collect rental phones on a temporary basis from the company's service centres. The electronic firm announced an international recall of 2.5 million Galaxy Note7s two weeks after the product launch on August 19. A probe indicated that the rechargeable lithium batteries, produced by one of its suppliers, were the cause of the fires. The company will start using new batteries in South Korea from September 19. Dates to incorporate the new batteries in other countries differ.

Besides airlines in the US, Scandinavian Airlines and Singapore Airlines are among the carriers to have banned the device. The company said 35 cases of the product catching fire were confirmed until September 1.