This isn't exactly a shocking move, since the writing was on the wall the moment that Samsung started disabling Note 7 charging features. About 93 percent of American buyers had already returned their units before the news, and that ratio is only likely to climb in the days ahead. However, the January 5th Verizon push is still notable. Think of it as an official end date for the Note 7's brief, turbulent life in the US -- it's the day when Samsung can stop worrying about battery fires and focus on mending its image.