Following the pressure from regulator bodies worldwide, Samsung Electronics urges owners of the new Galaxy Note 7 phablets to exchanging their products. Just over a week ago, Samsung announced a global replacement program for the Galaxy Note7 as a precautionary measure due to a battery cell issue.

"Our number one priority is the safety of our customers. We are asking users to power down their Galaxy Note7s and exchange them as soon as possible," says DJ Koh, President of Mobile Communications Business, Samsung Electronics. "We are expediting replacement devices so that they can be provided through the exchange program as conveniently as possible and in compliance with related regulations. We sincerely thank our customers for their understanding and patience."

Samsung says that there have been only "a small number of reported incidents." The company has identified the affected inventory and has stopped sales and shipments of those devices.

Everyone who has Galaxy Note7 devices can replace their current device with a new device based on local availability. Galaxy Note7 owners should contact their place of purchase as soon as possible.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said on Friday that it's working with Samsung on an official recall of the phones "as soon as possible" and that it's trying to figure out if the company's replacement Note 7s are an "acceptable remedy."

U.S. aviation safety officials also on Thursday took the unusual step of warning airline passengers not to turn on or charge the phone during flights, or put them in checked bags.