Samsung Won't Sell Refurbished Galaxy Note 7 Devices In The US

Samsung confirmed this past Monday that it will soon start selling refurbished Galaxy Note 7 units. Unfortunately, it looks like the ill-fated smartphone won’t be returning to the United States.

IBT reported earlier this week that Samsung was able to to collect 4.3 million Note 7 handsets after it was discontinued temporarily in September 2016, then permanently the following October. The South Korean manufacturer plans to sell those handsets as refurbished devices or as rental models.

Samsung wants to do an eco-friendly method of recycling the devices after Greenpeace protested to the company back in February. No details on pricing or availability have been given yet, but it’s assumed that refurbished Galaxy Note 7 units will be a lot cheaper than its $849 price tag when it was first launched last year.

This might have excited a lot of American consumers expecting that they’ll be able to get one of Samsung’s 2016 flagships at a significantly lower price, but it looks like it won’t be making its way stateside. In a separate statement provided to Reuters, Samsung confirmed that it “will not be offering refurbished Galaxy Note 7 devices for rent or for sale in the U.S.”

The Reuters report didn’t provide any information as to why Samsung won’t be selling refurbished Note 7 units in the United States. It’s possible that the company is no longer interested in reselling the device because of the highly negative press it received in the country, as pointed out by The Next Web. Another possible reason is that Samsung doesn’t want to compromise the launch of the Galaxy S8 in any way.

The refurbished Galaxy Note 7 models will reportedly house a smaller battery. The device originally came with a 3,500 mAh. Samsung has also hinted that the refurbished Note 7 might renamed. “The product details including name, technical specification and price range will be announced when the device is available,” Samsung told The Verge.