Samsung’s apparently gearing up to launch the refurbished variant of the Galaxy Note 7 in South Korea by the end of June. This is as per a ET News report which claims that the brand is looking to release 300000 of these revamped units to the market.
Over 3 to 4 million units of the Galaxy Note 7 were recalled by Samsung last year. Branding and costs are still reportedly under negotiations for the newly refurbished phones. The publication believes that the device will be sold via 3 South Korean carriers under the name Galaxy Note 7 R (SM-N935).
As for its price, the redone Galaxy Note 7 might set buyers back by KRW 700000 (roughly $620 or Rs 39700). This is a pretty steep discount from the fire-prone original’s KRW 989890 (approx $875 or Rs 56100) cost. The nearly KRW 300000 difference makes sense given that the smartphone is both second hand and carries an extremely negative reputation.
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Samsung has supposedly fitted the refurbished unit with a 3200mAh battery, smaller than the first’s 3500mAh unit. To recap, the latter’s tendency to explode is the very reason the phone was recalled in the first place. The brand went public with its findings later on, promising to undertake a series of measures to make sure such a disaster never happens again.
It remains to be seen whether Samsung’s word is enough for people to risk buying the Galaxy Note 7, even if it is refurbished and cheaper. The company had previously stated that these new units would not be sold in the US. Other countries weren’t mentioned, but it’s possible the handset will make its way to India and Vietnam.