Samsung wins class action lawsuit in South Korea over the Galaxy Note7

While Samsung is busy preparing for the launch of the Galaxy Note8, it’s still working on the aftermath that the Galaxy Note7 left in its disastrous wake. One of these is a class action lawsuit the company finds itself in its home turf. A group of Galaxy Note7 owners in South Korea filed a case against Samsung for the inconvenience the recall has supposedly caused to them. The claimants for the suit grew to 1,900 people with them claiming KRW 935 million (around CA$1.3 million, around CA$680 per person). But the local court ruled in Samsung’s favour saying that the recall and the inconvenience it might have caused wasn’t “unacceptable.” The company is also facing a similar suit in the US but that case is still ongoing.

Source: GSMArena

Samsung unveils refurbished Galaxy Note7, names it Galaxy Note Fan Edition

Samsung takes all the useable and non-“explode-y” parts of the Galaxy Note7 and puts it in a new refurbished device the company is calling the Galaxy Note Fan Edition. The phablet was just launched in South Korea and will be coming to its stores on July 7^th. The Note Fan Edition basically carries the same specs of the Note7 except for some key differences including a smaller 3,200mAh battery, which they claim passed through the new rigorous battery testing system they have in place. It also gets support for Samsung’s Bixby assistant. There will only be 400,000 units released and the device is coming to Korea first with other markets being “decided after.” Samsung Canada has previously announced that they have no plans to carry the refurbished device. Although with the Galaxy Note8 rumoured to be coming in August, we’re not sure why Samsung even decided to release this version. If given an opportunity to buy one though, would you?

Source: The Verge

Samsung plans to refurbish or recycle Galaxy Note7 devices

Environmental organization Greenpeace has been leaning heavily on Samsung when it comes to its plans for the recalled Galaxy Note7 devices. Now the company has announced what it plans to do with the device, which they’ve emphasized in “three principles.” One is they might refurbish the phones or turn them into rental phones where it can be applicable. Second is they will salvage components that can be reused. And third, processes like metals extraction will supposedly be “performed using environmentally-friendly methods.”

When it comes to the refurbished or rental option, Samsung says this is “dependent upon consultations with regulatory authorities and carriers as well as due consideration of local demand.” They will announce markets and release dates at a later time. They will work with companies who specialize in removing semiconductors and camera modules and use these for sample production. And when it comes to the component recycling, Samsung says it’ll extract the precious metals (i.e. copper, nickel, gold, and silver) with the help of eco-friendly companies who also specialize in these processes.

UPDATE:

Samsung Canada has released a statement regarding the possibility of the Note7 coming back to the country:

Samsung Electronics Canada will not be offering refurbished Galaxy Note7 devices for rent or sale in Canada.

Samsung will completely disable charging capabilities of the Galaxy Note7

Samsung is making it extra hard for those still holding onto their Galaxy Note7 devices. The South Korean company plans to disable charging on the phablet to push those who still have the devices with them to return the product to the brand. Samsung initially limited the charging capability of the Note7 below capacity and even cut off mobile network access. If you’re still holding on to the device already deemed a fire hazard, we highly recommend you give up the device for your own safety.

Source: XDA Developers