Why You Can Trust CNET The Galaxy Note 7 is reportedly coming back in June, to Korea
Word is that refurbished models -- with a few important changes -- may appear in Samsung's home base.
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The Note 7 may not be completely, totally, 100 percent dead yet.
After Samsung officially said last month the company was considering selling refurbished Galaxy Note 7 devices in select markets, more details may have come to light. A recent report from ETNews (in Korean) claims that the refurbished Note 7 may go on sale in June in South Korea -- this time with a sizable price cut.
Samsung recalled roughly 3 million Note 7 phones after numerous units caught fire, leaving Samsung with the predicament of what to do with all those returned phones. Selling refurbished phones would be one way Samsung could help soften the financial loss from the Note 7 recall.
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The refurbished phones would reportedly use a smaller 3,200 mAh battery (as opposed to the original 3,500 mAh) in the refurbished version, according to ETNews.
Samsung is also reportedly selling this version for about 30 percent less, at 700,000 won instead of 989,890 won. This new price translates to about $615, £480 or AU$825, which is less than buying a new Galaxy S8 but not exactly a steal.
Samsung has said that new phones would undergo Samsung's new 8-point safety check; we aren't certain if that will be the case here as well.
The report claims that the refurbished phone may go on sale with three Korean carriers, but don't expect to see it everywhere. Samsung has previously said it will not sell or rent refurbished Note 7s in the US.
"Availability has not been determined yet," a Samsung spokesperson told CNET. "The availability will be determined according to market demands and by consent from related regulatory organizations."
As for future Note phones, Samsung has already said that it will release the Galaxy Note 8 later this year.
