The refurbished Samsung Galaxy Note 7 known as the Note 7 FE finally has a release date and doting buyers will be happy to know that it will arrive as soon as next week for purchasing. After rumors of an apparent release in the month of June, the phone has now received confirmation that it will be sold from July 7 onwards.
Samsung recalled the original Galaxy Note 7 last year due to two distinct battery issues
The new Fandom Edition of the Galaxy Note 7 will be launched with a price tag of $616 or 700,000 won in South Korea. While the phone will be the Galaxy Note 7 in essence, it will have a few of its original components swapped out for more efficient ones such as a low-capacity battery pack to prevent further instances of inflammation or explosions. However, this will pose a dilemma to customers as well, considering that the new Note 8 will be releasing the following month in August. If that is the case, users might as well wait for a month and get the latest Note 8 flagship than settle for the older model. The only flip-side is that the Note 7 FE will be marginally cheaper compared to the Note 8 which will be much more expensive.
Sales for the Note 7 FE will be limited based on the markets, since South Korea will be receiving only 400,000 of the handsets that will be spread across multiple carriers in the region. The inventory is said to be ‘modest’ at best when asked for release in other countries and which of those countries will be receiving the new phones is yet to be confirmed. There has been speculation that Samsung might avoid the US market altogether and instead focus on the new Note 8 which will feature a superior curved Super AMOLED display and S Pen stylus support. The new Note 8 is rumored to also be receiving a dual-camera set up on the back for iPhone-like optics and performance.
Samsung will retain the same internal specifications of the Note 7 in the Note 7 FE and will make a few extra changes to the phone as well, which include adding a dedicated Bixby button and an improved S-Pen. At the cost that the phone will be selling for, it will be one of the biggest affordable flagships on the market and its limited number will excite more buyers, owing to the model’s specifically rich history. Samsung’s move to make a refurbished Note 7 is no doubt a master-stroke for the company as it is saving costs and also making a case for renewable handsets that do not need to be thrown away. Only real-world usage will truly dictate how last year’s flagship will now compete with this year’s current stalwarts.