Samsung Galaxy Note Fan Edition will initially be available only in South Korea.
Samsung Galaxy Note Fan Edition has been rumored under multiple names – Samsung Galaxy Note 7R (refurbished), Samsung Galaxy Note 7 FE, and others. And while Samsung did previously confirm that the phablet will launch in some Asian markets, there was nothing else known about the device. Finally, it is revealed that the name will indeed be Samsung Galaxy Note Fan Edition – Samsung has dropped the ’7′ for now. Samsung Galaxy Note Fan Edition is Samsung’s effort to salvage what they can of the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 – and envelop it under terms like “recycling” and “environmental damage protection”.
According to the latest report, Samsung Galaxy Note Fan Edition is already teased in South Korea and is now confirmed to arrive on July 7. However, there will only be 400,000 units available for sale in South Korea, AFP report. Once the device is announced in South Korea, depending on demand and response, Samsung will roll out additional units or announce the device in select other markets. The smartphone is aimed at Samsung Galaxy Note 7 lovers and ardent fans – and is being sold as a special edition for the masses. In terms of design, Samsung Galaxy Note Fan Edition is expected to come in a design similar to the Galaxy Note 7.
Samsung Galaxy Note Fan Edition is made with the parts from Samsung Galaxy Note 7 and the parts have been sourced from the recalled, unsealed units of the smartphone. Except for the batteries, which Samsung continued to claim was the main culprit behind the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 blasts, Samsung has tried to reuse all the internal hardware for the Galaxy Note Fan Edition. The Fan Edition is expected to share specifications with the Samsung Galaxy Note 7, except for the battery, which will be toned down to a 3,200mAh juicer. Samsung has also put the battery through an 8-point battery test to ensure the disaster is not repeated again. ALSO READ: Alleged Samsung Galaxy Note 8 case spotted online
The other changes include small changes to design and also, addition of Samsung’s native Bixby Voice Assistant. Bixby has been facing problems learning languages like Mandarin and English – though it is already adept on Korean, the current target market for the Samsung Galaxy Fan Edition. Leaked images also reveal a new packaging for the smartphone, as seen in an image shared by Android and Me – a sleek black box with a blue heart on top. The Samsung device comes with the Galaxy Note Fan Edition logo on the rear panel, towards the bottom. The leaks show the phone in blue color, though other colors too are expected.
Samsung Galaxy Note Fan Edition is priced at KRW 699,600 (approximately Rs 39,500) and original Samsung Galaxy Note 7 owners can expect an additional discount on purchase of the device. The device will be under heavy scanner from fans all over the world after the Galaxy Note 7 debacle. “The launch of ‘Galaxy Note FE’ is also meaningful in that it is an eco-friendly project that minimizes waste of resources by utilizing ‘Galaxy Note 7’ parts”, Samsung has previously said in a statement.