Samsung Galaxy Note 7 To Sell As A Refurbished Device From June In Emerging Markets

Samsung officially stopped producing its problematic Galaxy Note 7 just two months after launch last year and since then many have wondered what Samsung would do with the millions of devices it recalled from users last year and while some suggested that reusing some of the components might be a faster way to go, another report says Samsung plans to refurbish the phones and sell them in emerging markets (like India and Vietnam among others). This could also mean that Samsung would replace the batteries (that were catching fire) with smaller versions so that they can be sold at affordable rates in other markets.

But a smaller battery also means a change in casing and according to a Korean news website report, the current 3,500 mAh battery will likely be replaced with a smaller 3,000 – 3,200mAh models. The refurbished Note 7 is set to go on sale from June 2017 in emerging markets and seeing as about 3 million units were sold till date, it could well help Samsung recover some of its investment and as one report puts it, if Samsung were to sell the refurbished device at say $250 each, they would make $500m back easily and three millions units would be $750m.

We do hope some of them would eventually be sold here in Nigeria and other fast growing African economies but seeing as they Samsung plans to sell them at really affordable rates, I have some doubt that we will be seeing them sold here. The other big challenge is that they are limited in number.