Samsung to sell refurbished Galaxy Note 7 worldwide

By Barry Eitel

SAN FRANCISCO (AA) – Samsung announced Monday it would sell refurbished Galaxy Note 7 smartphones after the device was recalled because it was deemed a fire hazard by government agencies.

Soon after Samsung unveiled the Note 7 last August, consumers discovered the phones could combust, a failure later linked to the phone’s battery.

The company launched a massive global recall just two months after it was released. At the time, Samsung said every phone returned because of the recall would be scrapped and it would not sell refurbished phones.

It appears Samsung is now loosening that promise and will attempt to sell refurbished Note 7 phones, pending approval from government regulators from around the globe.

“Regarding the Galaxy Note 7 devices as refurbished phones or rental phones, applicability is dependent upon consultations with regulatory authorities and carriers as well as due consideration of local demand,” Samsung said in a statement. “The markets and release dates will be determined accordingly.”

The move is part of an overall strategy, Samsung contends, aimed at recycling the phones. The company also plans to remove and reuse any salvageable components of recalled devices and extract expensive metals from the phones such as copper, nickel, gold and silver using “environmentally friendly methods”.

The notice comes two days before the South Korean firm will unveil its newest flagship Galaxy S8 smartphone at an event in New York City.

The Galaxy S8 is Samsung’s first phone since the Note 7 and the company has launched a public relations blitz in an attempt to win back consumer trust.

The Note 7 disaster cost Samsung about $5.5 billion in cost and profits, according to the company’s quarterly earnings reports.