Samsung Galaxy Note 7 Users Finding It Hard To Discard Recalled Phone

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- There are few possessions in life as treasured by many individuals than their cell phones.

The mobile devices contain contacts to our closest friends and families, photos of cherished moments amd text messages to important to delete.

So it's not small wonder that a San Francisco-based software company that tracks mobile usage has found that users are still fond of their Galaxy Note 7 phones despite the threat of the devices exploding.

The threat has gotten use of the devices on airplanes banned from the U.S. to Australia.

"It's just surprising how much people are willing to risk holding a device to their face or putting it in their pocket that could potentially explode," said Andrew Levy, co-founder of the mobile use tracking firm Aptelgent.

Levy's firm has found that there are still 1 million Galaxy Note 7 phones in use in spite widespread coverage of threat it may contain.

"Even after the first recall which was beginning of September usage remained pretty high," he told KPIX 5. "In fact, as of a week ago, it hit a peak."

Consumer psychologist Kit Yarrow says ignoring the warnings is a form of consumer denial.

"Denial is a very powerful thing so I think there are people that just don't want to deal it," Yarrow said. "They are in denial about the possible dangers of using it."

For its part, Samsung is asking all Note 7 users to send their phones -- even to the point of providing fireproof boxes.

But returning phones isn't that easy.

FedEx is only accepting phones from retail stores. UPS And the U.S. Postal Service will take them, but only if they are in special packaging.

Samsung is also sending representatives to airport around the U.S. to assist user caught off guard by the travel ban. They will help travelers make exchanges and get refunds.