Samsung’s Galaxy Note 7 Makes a Comeback as the FE

The refurbished device is back with new batteries

After the embarrassing recall of millions of Galaxy Note 7 devices last year, Samsung Electronics has announced that it will start selling a refurbished version of the smartphone this week. The recall, which was the largest in the company’s history, cost Samsung billions of dollars in lost profits and damaged its global reputation.

The refurbished device, dubbed the Galaxy Note Fan Edition (FE), will hit shelves in South Korea on July 7, with Samsung planning to sell only 400,000 units domestically. The firm has not yet decided whether to release the refurbished edition elsewhere. The FE will be priced at 699,000 won ($611, Dh2,244), significantly lower than the previous version that was nearly $1,000.

“The latest launch of the Galaxy Note FE… has a significant meaning as an environment-friendly project that minimised the waste of resources,” Samsung said.

The recall was deeply embarrassing for Samsung, but the company has since launched a new flagship device, the Galaxy S8, to positive reviews and strong orders. In April, Samsung posted its biggest quarterly net profit in more than three years, although the company has come under pressure on wider fronts.

The recall of millions of Galaxy Note 7 devices cost Samsung billions of dollars in lost profits

Lee Jae-Yong, the Samsung group’s vice-chairman and heir to its leadership, is on trial for bribery over his role in a massive corruption scandal that brought down impeached former president Park Geun-Hye.

The refurbished device is made of recalled, unsealed Note 7 handsets and unused components

The refurbished device is made of recalled, unsealed Note 7 handsets and unused components, outfitted with new batteries. Samsung said it would decide later whether to release the refurbished edition elsewhere.

The Galaxy Note FE will be priced at 699,000 won ($611, Dh2,244)

About three million Galaxy Note 7 handsets were returned to the firm last year, but campaign groups including Greenpeace have expressed concern that discarding the phones could harm the environment.

The recall was deeply embarrassing for Samsung, but the company has since launched a new flagship device

The launch of the Galaxy Note FE is a significant step for Samsung as it looks to move on from the recall debacle and focus on its future plans.