Samsung's infamous Galaxy Note 7 back with Note Fan Edition
Remember Samsung's Galaxy Note 7 which used to catch fire? Now, under pressure from environmentalists, Samsung is releasing a new phone using parts of Note 7. The handset will be launched only in South Korea on 7 July, with a smaller battery. Launched in August'16, Samsung's Galaxy Note 7 globally saw 35 cases of phone catching fire or exploding due to faulty battery.
How did Galaxy Note 7 end up being charred?
Samsung Electronics recalled its flagship Galaxy Note 7 smartphone over a faulty battery issue after several complaints from the users.. Galaxy Note 7's battery problem became massive after the phone resulted in explosion during or after charging. Till the time the faulty phones were identified, nearly 2.5 million units had been already sold globally.
Samsung's investigation into the Note 7 explosions
In October 2016, Samsung announced a full investigation into the issue, and said that all aspects of the phone would be examined by itself and third-party investigators. Samsung was able to replicate the fires in the lab, but the problem couldn't be explained as hardware or software-related issues. It was thus concluded that the battery was at fault.
What is new in Samsung's Galaxy Note 7 Fan Edition?
Samsung's Galaxy Note 7 Fan Edition (FE) has a Snapdragon 821 processor, 4GB of RAM, 64GB of storage, and Android Nougat. Software addition includes Bixby. The 5.7-inch display has 12MP rear camera, iris scanner, IP68 water resistance, USB-C, wireless charging, and S-Pen. The Fan Edition also offers a 3,200 mAh battery which has been subjected to a rigorous 8-point safety test.
Samsung's environment-friendly idea of refurbishing its old Galaxy Note 7
Samsung had stated earlier that to minimize environmental impact it would remodel the faulty Galaxy Note 7 into refurbished or rental phones. Samsung's idea of refurbished phones could help make over the loss it suffered in the Note 7 recall. However, Samsung made it clear that the refurbished phones would undergo the company's 8-point safety check first.
India won't get the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 FE edition?
Galaxy Note 7 FE is being launched only in Korea for now. Although, there are reports that the device might enter in a few more select markets but it may not come to India. Earlier in a statement, Samsung India denied that the refurbished Samsung Galaxy Note 7 FE will come to India deeming the reports to be false.
Note 7 recall did not affect Samsung brand
After Note 7's recall, an opinion poll stated that the recall of Samsung's Note 7 phone did not dent the company's brand image. Surveys found no difference in loyalty among Samsung and Apple customers and found no change in interest among Samsung users who did and did not hear about the recall. The poll found 91% Samsung users would likely purchase another Samsung smartphone.
