Samsung announced that it will cripple remaining Note 7 phones beginning December 19

Samsung Galaxy Note 7 (Samsung).

The Galaxy Note 7 saga will finally soon come to an end. Shortly after Samsung released the hotly anticipated phone, sporadic reports began to pop up that some units were spontaneously combusting while charging. Many people quickly dismissed the complaints, but Samsung had no choice but to investigate the matter when the frequency of flaming phones increased. An unprecedented recall was then announced, as Samsung asked all Note 7 owners to return their potentially defective phones for newer "safe" models -- Samsung thought it had identified the problem, stating that some batteries from one supplier had a manufacturing defect.

When "safe" Galaxy Note 7 units that were issued as replacements began exploding in users' hands, Samsung was left with no choice but to cancel the phone completely and recall every single Note 7 smartphone that had been shipped or sold. Now, the final chapter of the Note 7 story will see Samsung remotely disable any remaining phones in the US that have not yet been returned.

"Consumer safety remains our highest priority and we've had overwhelming participation in the U.S. Note7 Refund and Exchange Program so far, with more than 93 percent of all recalled Galaxy Note7 devices returned," Samsung said in a statement on Friday morning.

The statement continued, "To further increase participation, a software update will be released starting on December 19th and will be distributed within 30 days. This software update will prevent U.S. Galaxy Note7 devices from charging and will eliminate their ability to work as mobile devices. Together with our carrier partners, we will be notifying consumers through multiple touchpoints to encourage any remaining Galaxy Note7 owners to participate in the program and to take advantage of the financial incentives available.

"Anyone who has not yet returned their device should immediately power it down and contact their carrier to obtain a refund or exchange, or visit our website at Samsung.com/us/note7recall for more information."

If you have not yet returned your Galaxy Note 7 handset, for an exchange or a refund, you're needlessly putting yourself and those around you at risk. Wisely, Samsung is now taking steps to prevent any further injuries or damage to property. Follow the links above to learn how to return your Note 7 for a full refund or an exchange.