Samsung is said to be refurbishing 2.5 million Note7 handsets with new bodywork and smaller batteries. The company is expected to begin selling them in emerging markets, such as India, from June.
Given the fiasco of its fiery flagship, you might well have expected Samsung to want to draw a line under its Galaxy Note7 , and focus on the next generation of its high-end handsets. But according to a report published by South Korean publication Hankyung , Samsung is actually preparing to refurbish the handsets and sell them on.
This is the second time that such rumors have popped up. According to the report, Samsung has opted for the refurb-and-resell approach in an effort to recoup some of the profits that it lost during the much-publicized global recall process. It’s also said to be keen to minimize the potential environmental damage of dealing with millions of unsaleable devices, which will help it to avoid a hefty fine. Even so, selling refurbished units would indicate a change of approach, given that Samsung said in October that it would “safely dispose of” every Note7.
