Galaxy Note 7 Is Not Dead, Samsung Says It Will Sell Refurbished Units (samsung.com) 78
Samsung announced on Monday it plans to sell refurbished units of the Galaxy Note 7 smartphone, months after the handset was pulled from the markets due to fire-prone batteries. The company says it is yet to determine the markets it will sell the refurbished Note 7 units, and it is in talks with relevant regulatory authorities and carriers. The company also has a plan in place for the units it doesn't want to bring back to the market. In a statement, the company said, "For remaining Galaxy Note 7 devices, components such as semiconductors and camera modules shall be detached by companies specializing in such services and used for test sample production purposes. Finally, for left over component recycling, Samsung shall first extract precious metals, such as copper, nickel, gold and silver by utilizing eco-friendly companies specializing in such processes."
Not dead (Score:1)
It's pining for the fjords
Heavily discounted, I presume? (Score:5, Funny)
So; is this going to be a fire sale?
Ba dum tss!
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So; is this going to be a fire sale?
They are going to sell them to the "Burner Phone" market...
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Strangely, this comes after Samsung denied plans to sell refurbished Note 7 devices [androidauthority.com]. Maybe they weren't planning to do it at the time, hence the denial, but the reports in the news got them thinking that selling the old ones off might not be such a bad idea after all?
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Where have we heard this before (Score:3, Funny)
Galaxy Note 7: I'm not dead.
Authorities and carriers: What?
Samsung: Nothing. [hands the collector his money] There's your nine pence.
Galaxy Note 7: I'm not dead!
Authorities and carriers: 'Ere, he says he's not dead.
Samsung: Yes he is.
Galaxy Note 7: I'm not.
Authorities and carriers: He isn't.
Samsung: Well, he will be soon, he's very ill.
Galaxy Note 7: I'm getting better.
Samsung: No you're not, you'll be stone dead in a moment.
Authorities and carriers: Well, I can't take him like that. It's against regulations.
Galaxy Note 7: I don't want to go on the cart.
Samsung:' Oh, don't be such a baby.
Authorities and carriers: I can't take him.
Galaxy Note 7: I feel fine.
Samsung: Oh, do me a favor.
Authorities and carriers: I can't.
Samsung: Well, can you hang around for a couple of minutes? He won't be long.
Authorities and carriers: I promised I'd be at the Robinsons'. They've lost nine today.
Samsung: Well, when's your next round?
Authorities and carriers: Thursday.
Galaxy Note 7: I think I'll go for a walk.
Samsung: You're not fooling anyone, you know. Isn't there anything you could do?
Galaxy Note 7: I feel happy. I feel happy.
[The collector paces for an idea, then whacks the body with his club, solving the problem]
Samsung: Ah, thank you very much.
Authorities and carriers: Not at all. See you on Thursday.
Samsung: Right.
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Depends on which head you're referring to.
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Did that sound funny in your head?
Well someone hasn't seen "Monty Python and the Holy Grail".
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Did that sound funny in your head?
Yes, and it was amusing when Monty Python did the bit on film too...
ahh, Phoenix rising from the ashes (Score:2)
in a cloud of flames. I hope they used a slightly smaller battery, so it has room to grow, not to glow.
Just in time for the Laptop Ban (Score:4, Interesting)
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You just make shit up? Why is your life so sad?
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Yes, the iPhones in China which have been exploding in large numbers have not seen any ban, and almost no media coverage.
No, you still can't take a Note 7 on an airplane. Even if it does not contain a battery.
Hey, dumbass!
This is about the iPhone 6 (and 6s) battery PREMATURE SHUTDOWN problem.
1. A lot different that exploding.
2. Largely fixed with a Software Update [theverge.com].
There are a couple of reports of a small number of iPhones (eight was the number I saw) that supposedly "exploded". Apple claims these units suffered mechanical damage that caused the battery to short-circuit. Smashing or compressing a Li-On battery is actually one of the main causes of fire/explosion; so Apple's explanation rings true. If it w
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I have a suggestion: Sell it in the markets where tablets aren't allowed to be in passenger's hands on flights. Heck, do something really patriotic and sell them to ISIS- who needs a suicide vest when you have a suicide tablet!
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Look, I took the liberty of examining that phone when I got it home, and I discovered the only reason that it had been showing anything on its display in the first place was that a print of a screen capture had been GLUED there.
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and not for something completly different
Oh wait... this POS has been put on sale before.
I'm a lumberjack and I'm ok.
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The fire hazard was because the battery was too tightly fit into the device. They only need to make the battery physically smaller and they can reuse everything else.
What Markets (Score:1)
The company says it is yet to determine the markets it will sell the refurbished Note 7 units
Probably the markets around the world with fewer lawyers to sue them when they catch fire.
Plastic electrolyte (Score:1)
As seen on PBS, there is a plastic electrolyte that is 100% non flammable (flammability is caused by Lithium being exposed to liquid electrolyte). It doesn't help that Donald Trump cut the Arpa-E funding which that guy depended on. Anyway, doing some googling, there are a few others working on it in academia with some grant money. Why the heck aren't we using that? Why haven't companies developed that technology?
Solution (Score:2)
If the issue existed in the layered lithium battery and the tight tolerances of the case-battery fitment, they're probably planning a thinner (lower capacity) battery that is less likely to pinch and detonate. There's no reason it can't be just as safe as any other phone battery.
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Last time this was on Slashdot they explained that the refurbished Note 7 units will have a slightly smaller battery. So yes, that is the plan.
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Last time this was on Slashdot they explained that the refurbished Note 7 units will have a slightly smaller battery. So yes, that is the plan.
Maybe they can try cranking down the charge current, too, and try to stop matching the iPhone's spectacular charging-time. (My iPhone 6 plus charges from dead to 100% in under 2 hours).
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Are you suggesting they should stop trying to match their own fast-charging that works perfectly fine for the S6 (which I have), and likely others?
To what end?
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Agreed, the fast-charging works great on my Note4, why stop that part?
The problem Samsung had with the Note7 was that there was zero tolerance around the battery, a slightly smaller battery (or heaven forbid, a slightly larger case) would solve that. No need to also cause it to charge slower.
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Are you suggesting they should stop trying to match their own fast-charging that works perfectly fine for the S6 (which I have), and likely others?
To what end?
Does the S6 have the same battery as the GN7?
If not, it's not the same. A larger battery will heat up more during charging.
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If the issue existed in the layered lithium battery and the tight tolerances of the case-battery fitment, they're probably planning a thinner (lower capacity) battery that is less likely to pinch and detonate. There's no reason it can't be just as safe as any other phone battery.
And thanks to the battery-sucking SoC in those units, it will then have abysmal battery-life.
Nearly Twice the battery capacity (in mAh) as the iPhone 7 plus, yet it actually has LESS battery life [arstechnica.com]! 803 mins for the iPhone 7 plus, vs. 712 mins for the GN7. That's an HOUR AND A HALF difference!
That's just sad. Now just think how bad it will be if they decide to downgrade the battery capacity...
I'll buy one.... (Score:2)
My Note 4 is a bit long in the tooth these days.. I'd welcome a Note 7.
Seriously, Samsung isn't going to do the burning phone thing again. It was bad enough the first time, one would figure that they'd be a whole lot more careful the second time around.
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second time around.
Third time around. They were recalled twice.
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Except that the Note7 was never a good replacement for the Note4, The combination of the non-removable battery, the atrocious "edge" display, and the increased lockdown of the firmware, has confirmed that the Note4 I currently have will likely be my last Samsung device. On the bright side, I've also seen no reason to replace it as it still functions perfectly (on it's second battery, see replaceable batteries ARE a good thing!)
It's not the battery fire fiasco that turned me off Samsung, everyone makes mista
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Note 2 owner here; I would welcome this upgrade because my WiFi/Bluetooth module is now dead and I doubt I'm capable of reflowing the solder which is likely the reason for failure.
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The Note2 was the first I had of the Note series. I did really like it, until I smashed the screen. The 3 was an obvious upgrade for me though as it was an improvement over the 2 in pretty much every way. It's too bad the same can't be said of the more recent versions
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If I hadn't destroyed the screen on my Note3 I'd likely still be using it.
The Note4 is a step up from the Note3, but it's hardly night and day. I had been planning on skipping the 4 with hopes that the 5 would be better but had to replace the Note3 due to the screen before the 5 came out. As it turns out, the 5 was their first real step backward.
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Yeah, they better give these refurbs a new model name or they're going to cause problems in security lines. The "Samsung Galaxy Note 6 S", perhaps? The S is for Safe. Or Super. Or Something.
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Yeah, they better give these refurbs a new model name or they're going to cause problems in security lines. The "Samsung Galaxy Note 6 S", perhaps? The S is for Safe. Or Super. Or Something.
Shitty?
A bad move (Score:2, Interesting)
From the PR point of view this is a very bad move.
The less people remember about the Note 7 fiasco, the better. By reselling them, Samsung damages its reputation even further because people have exactly zero good associations with the fire catching Note 7s.
Do anything you want with them but don't create another yet another uncertainty and news material.
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That's the part I find funny. I never expected them to simply throw away that many units, but I fully expected them to re-name them before re-selling!
Re:A bad move (Score:4, Interesting)
From the PR point of view this is a very bad move.
Disagree, they've been riding on bad PR from green groups who have kept this at the forefront.
The less people remember about the Note 7 fiasco, the better. By reselling them, Samsung damages its reputation even further because people have exactly zero good associations with the fire catching Note 7s.
Actually people have many good associations with the fire catching Note 7s, which is why so many people didn't want to let it go in the first place. It was in many regards an awesome phablet and the lack of the Note 7 leaves a gaping hole in the market. Re-introducing the Note 7:
- Shows that Samsung can fix defects.
- Puts good hardware back on the market.
- Reminds people what kind of a phone it is when it doesn't burst into flames.
- Recovers some huge sunk costs.
Given people's incredibly short memory of {$techgadget} gate, there's no reason this will continue to be bad PR. Well. ... Unless tomorrow the news comes out that all those idiots thinking recalled Note 7s were collectors items suddenly find their hordes devalued.
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Refurbished? (Score:1)
So Samsung have invented a way for cleaning smoke and melted plastic from the inside of smartphones without causing any further damage? Have they got a patent for this newest of technology?
relabel them so everyone knows (Score:2)
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Great idea for frequent fliers; it's unlikely the airlines will keep up with the news and let even a refurb Note 7 on after the scare unless it's relabeled with an amended model number.
Cash burning a hole in your pocket? (Score:2)
Was anything different ever expected? (Score:2)
For 'brand' reasons, it wouldn't be a surprise to see them shunted off to some less-loved market; or even 'de-branded' and sold in more generic livery; but scrapped?
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I expected them to be re-named at least....
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Were we ever expecting Samsung to actually just toss all these things into the grinder? They had a fairly high end SoC, bunch of RAM and Flash, nice screens, etc. no reason to suspect that the PMIC itself was executing batteries. Why would you scrap something like that?
Actually, I would specifically blame the PMIC (or rather the engineer that set up the charging profiles for same); which poured WAAY too much current into the batteries during recharge, in an attempt to shorten the charging-time for their humongous (relative to the iPhone 7 or 7 plus) battery; which was in turn necessitated by their POS SoC's current-hogging habits.
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Why would it matter if you trickle-charged your way to a fire or super-charged your way there?
The problem was with the battery size.
Who in their right mind would "not" make the charging process as efficient as possible?
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Why would it matter if you trickle-charged your way to a fire or super-charged your way there?
The problem was with the battery size.
Who in their right mind would "not" make the charging process as efficient as possible?
Because, controlling heat during charging is all-important.
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I'd say it's a very small secondary concern compared to the size of the battery.
They've proven they can do fast charging right in many models. It's not a complicated process.
The only possible reason to not fast-charge would be if your battery was crammed into a compartment far too small for it, at which point you don't "not fast charge", you fix the ridiculous size issue.
If they're cheap enough... (Score:1)
Hell, if they're cheap enough, I'll take one. It's not like the hardware itself is bad; the specs and screen were top of the line according to reviews.
Another word for refurbished... (Score:2)
Twice-Baked.
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Twice-Baked.
Once Shy.
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A Great White reference! Can we be friends? :)
LOL, sure!
Not surprised (Score:2)
After all, they are the hottest phones on the market.
Erm... (Score:2)
Weren't they denying that would happen a few months ago?
Regardless, they better not name it Galaxy Note 7 even with the refurbished thing added on.
Bans will still be on, they coudn't - understandably - do a thorough 100% recall, and they'll have to prove that the devices work safely, obviously.
I'm all in favor of that device not being completely scrapped because it's a mountain of extra e-waste to be dealt with, but it would just be a better move to name it something else and then release it on the market.
Please RTFA (Score:2)
Before you start speculation and flamewars and.... ooooohhhhh wait!
Moderator please! There is a submission in the front page of /. without an article! I know no one reads them, but is in bad form not having one!!!
Copper and nickel (Score:1)
> Samsung shall first extract precious metals, such as copper, nickel, gold and silver
Copper, nickel -- precious metals now? WTF?
Time to rip the copper wires out of the walls and melt them down.
Booming Market (Score:2)