Samsung has reportedly said that they plan to re-release the Galaxy Note7, the phone that hasn’t been all that nice to them. No, they’re not going to produce brand new sets. Instead, they intend to refurbish the devices that they have recalled from users.
As much as it is a cost efficient move, it may also have some significant downfalls.
For instance, these refurbished sets (that could arrive as early as June) are going to come with a smaller battery – one that may range from 3,000mAh to 3,200mAh – but the same processor as before. Logically, you’re going to end up with a dead battery more quickly. The initial 3,500mAh battery was determined as the cause of all those explosions and fires, so this is apparently their move to solve the problem.
Back in 2014, Samsung had taken the Note II, dressed it up a little and called it the Galaxy Note 3 Neo. So it may not be much of a surprise if a “Note7 Neo” shows up before their next flagship Note, the Note8 (which is said to be released somewhere in the 3rd quarter of this year).
But why not just wait for the next Note?
Well, people seem to love the S Pen that came with the Note7, and if you wanted to get a Note with the pen today, you would have to look for the Note5 (which is old). Another reason why Samsung has decided to refurbish these phones instead of producing a whole new batch, is because it’s going to help the company cover part of the cost of the multi-billion dollar recall.
From a brand strategy point of view, this re-release may be a tad risky. The company has taken a blow (literally) to its reputation with the Note7, which has some questioning if the name ‘Note’ should even be carried on. Airlines these days aren’t even allowing passengers who have a Note7 to board their planes because of the explosive background the name carries.
According to reports also, Samsung is not planning to sell these refurbished units in their most profitable markets, but relegating it to emerging markets like India and Vietnam. The idea here is, the lower price is going ease with the negative connotations that has been associated with the Note7.
