Samsung to sell refurbished Galaxy Note 7 phones
People liked their Samsung Galaxy Note 7 devices, except for the part where then had a tendency to burst into flames. Samsung went through two recalls last year as it attempted to salvage the situation, but in the end it opted to simply end sales of the Note 7. It even pushed updates that bricked devices that were not returned. After weeks of rumors, Samsung now confirms it will bring back the Note 7… sort of. Samsung won’t be manufacturing any more of the phones, but it will sell the devices it has as refurbished units.
To recap, the Note 7 debuted last fall to extremely positive reviews. It had a fantastic screen, attractive design, and an improved S Pen stylus. A few weeks later, the Note 7 was the target of a massive recall after reports of fires began to spread. Samsung switched battery suppliers and sent out new devices. However, those phones too showed a tendency to burst into flames.
Samsung cancelled the Note 7 and had consumers return their phones just two months after it was originally released. It eventually traced the problem to independent issues with both batteries it used in the Note 7. In the first battery, negative electrodes were bent near the corner of the compact battery casing, which caused shorts and overheating. In the second, welding burrs on the positive electrode caused the same problem.
So after the recall Samsung was left with a few million high-end smartphones just sitting in a warehouse. Environmental groups were pestering Samsung to decided what to do with the phones, with the aim of making sure it was an environmentally friendly process. Now, Samsung has made its decision. Rumors that the Note 7 would return are (mostly) confirmed, and it’s going to keep the “Note” name.
Samsung says it will consider all returned devices for refurbishment and resale, or for use as rental devices. This will include replacing the potentially hazardous batteries with new units that don’t catch fire unexpectedly. This isn’t going to be a global rollout like the phone’s original release. The Note 7 will only be re-released after consultation with regulatory authorities and carriers. Additionally, Samsung will only sell the phones in markets where it sees sufficient demand. With the Galaxy S8 launching in a few weeks, demand for last year’s phones will surely drop off.
For phones that cannot be refurbished, Samsung will remove certain components that can be reused like the camera and other sensors. The remaining hardware will be recycled to extract precious metals like copper, nickel, gold, and silver using eco-friendly processes.
Samsung didn’t offer a timeline or price for the refurbished units, but keep an eye out in the coming months.
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