Samsung To Relaunch Galaxy Note 7 Following Battery Controversy; US Relaunch Date Leaked

Samsung is reportedly relaunching its controversial Galaxy Note 7 smartphone after a planning document containing the relaunch date was leaked. With the relaunch, consumers are expected to get “safe” handsets that are free from the faulty lithium-ion batteries that caused explosions and fires per previous reports.

According to Venture Beat, it has obtained the planning document that contains information about U.S. carriers preparing for the relaunch that is set to happen on Oct. 21 — more than three weeks after Samsung is resuming sales of the Note 7 in its home country on Sept. 28.

The scheduled relaunch will also take place around two months following the original launch of the Note 7 on Aug. 9 and about a month after handset replacements will be made available to current owners. The lengthy period is necessary, since the tech giant is placing the replacement of faulty models as its high priority first, before it resumes sales of the well-received Android smartphone, as pointed out by Android Police.

Because the planning document only indicated U.S. major carriers, Venture Beat stated that the relaunch of the device could happen at different times in other markets.

While it remains to be seen if Samsung’s latest flagship would do well on the market as it did initially, Android Police reported that the recent release of Apple’s iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus has redirected the attention of potential buyers to the latter handsets. The Android-centric news site also pointed out that Samsung would be competing with LG’s V20 because the Android Nougat-running smartphone is set to debut on the same day that the Note 7 relaunches.

The news about the planned relaunch comes days after Samsung Electronics America President and COO Tim Baxter came out to assure fans of the Galaxy Note 7 that the new and replacement devices are safe, citing the approval of a “recognized lithium-ion battery expert.”