Electronics company Samsung has stopped the sale of its new smartphone Galaxy Note 7, which has been shown to burst into flames while recharging.

Initial investigations showed that some phones are fitted with faulty batteries, the South Korea-based company said in a statement today.

"There have been 35 cases that have been reported globally and we are currently conducting a thorough inspection with our suppliers to identify possible affected batteries in the market."

On Wednesday, the world's biggest smartphone maker by shipments announced additional quality control for the devices after media reports said that some phones had exploded while recharging.

The announcement wiped US$4 billion off the firm's market capitalisation, the Wall Street Journal reported.

The Galaxy Note 7, which features a large display and pen to facilitate business apps, only went on sale in August.

The company is offering to exchange phones that have already been purchased.

Stopping production for further control measures is an unusual step for a major international smartphone producer.

- dpa