Samsung has halted production of the Galaxy Note 7 device as a crisis involving the batteries in the smartphones deepens.

It has not been confirmed when production was halted or whether specific problems have been identified, according to the Reuters report.

Samsung has been facing problems with the latest generation models of its flagship large smartphone line, the Note 7, which have been overheating when charging. In many cases they have got so hot that they have melted or caught fire.

In September, Samsung issued a voluntary recall for its Galaxy Note7 devices after finding 35 cases of the device overheating or catching fire. A week later, it asked Galaxy Note7 users in South Korea to immediately switch off their phones and exchange them as soon as possible.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 7 was unveiled in August.
The Samsung Galaxy Note 7 was unveiled in August.

As a temporary measure, Samsung issued a software update to some devices that would limit the charging.

Now one of the replaced devices has faced similar issues, suggesting that the recall may have been ineffective.

Major operators in the US have abandoned sales of the Note 7 over the issues, including T-Mobile and AT&T. In the UK, Three appeared to have stopped shipping the devices, with the device listed as out of stock, but EE, O2 and Vodafone were still selling it at the time of writing.

US authorities warned airline passengers not to turn on or charge their Samsung Galaxy Note 7 phones when on board a plane, following reports of devices catching fire.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) also advised passengers also not to stow them in any checked baggage.

The Q2 results released by the electronics manufacturer revealed that the company expected to post an operating profit of nearly $7bn, on sales of around $44bn.

However, these issues over its devices could derail the recovery in its mobile business driven by high demand for the Samsung Galaxy S7.

In August, Samsung unveiled the Galaxy Note 7, which updated its flagship phablet line with new durability and security features.