For anyone that watches the news cycle regarding smartphones, they're probably aware that sometimes they explode or catch fire. It happens. Not nearly enough to generally catch a lot of attention, but whether it's because someone used an unsupported, third-party charger, or another reason, these compact pieces of collected pieces of technology can catch fire.

The end of last year was an anomaly, but apparently its shockwaves are still being felt.

The exploding devices bearing a Galaxy Note 7 brand garnered a lot of attention in a very short period of time. As 2016 slowly ticked to an end, it felt like we were hearing stories of a device exploding, causing damage, or otherwise being a general risk to owners and those around them. Up until last week, I was still seeing people talk about how pre-flight announcements were still calling out the Galaxy Note 7, reminding passengers it was banned from flight.

Samsung's late-2016 flagship was the brunt of a lot of jokes, which is a real shame because there is no denying the handset was a noteworthy device. It was one of my favorites of last year, and would have remained that way without the potential threat in place.

Samsung is obviously a company that wants to regain consumer confidence, so there's a lot riding on the Galaxy S8. It shouldn't be a surprise that the company will put a lot of emphasis on its new device being, above anything else, safe. But perhaps it's a little strange to see another company, which has a flagship coming down the pipe, going out of its way to make it known the upcoming device is safe, too.

It was recently reported that LG is taking necessary steps to make sure its device doesn't overheat, and isn't a threat to future owners. The company is adding in heat pipes, and making sure that the sections that get the hottest in daily use are as far apart as possible. LG's statement included this part: "We will significantly improve the safety and quality of our new flagship smartphones as more consumers seek safe smartphones."

"...as more consumers seek safe smartphones."

That's a bold statement! And it has made me instantly curious. There's no doubt that Samsung garnered a ton of negative attention and press with the Galaxy Note 7's issues, but as it has been reported more than once, most of the people who gave up their Galaxy Note 7 appeared to stay with the Samsung brand. If the Galaxy S8 is a worthy upgrade from the Galaxy S7, I imagine a lot of people are going to be sticking around.

But, are exploding smartphones a genuine concern of yours now? Is the Galaxy Note 7's legacy and impact one that will make you more cautious with your smartphones from this point on? Is LG right in its statement that more consumers are seeking safe smartphones? Let me know!