Following the disastrous release of Samsung's newest flagship phablet smartphone — the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 — several fans have been wondering if the company will eventually discard the brand altogether. The entire exploding battery issue has, of course, stained the name of the brand, with some users automatically associating the Note name with exploding batteries and faulty construction.
However, new developments in South Korea seem to suggest that Samsung may not be giving up on the brand just yet and is in fact busy developing the next generation Note smartphone, the Samsung Galaxy Note 8. The PR nightmare could be resolved if the company does choose to provide another device to prove to its consumers that the Note 7 was a one-time mistake and that it will not be happening ever again.
The new model itself is expected to be coming out sometime next year, and hopefully Samsung has learned enough from its mistake to make improvements and changes to ensure a safer and more durable device.
Samsung recently announced its brand new recall program — called the "Galaxy Upgrade" program — in South Korea. The program will allow all Galaxy Note 7 users, including those who purchased second hand units, to exchange their devices for a brand new Galaxy S7 for free. Additionally, these users will also have the option to upgrade their device to a brand new Galaxy Note 8 or a new Galaxy Note 8 next year.
Users will be offered a 50 percent discount on the two devices if they should wish to upgrade. If not, then they still have the option of sticking with their Galaxy S7 units. The program will be open to affected customers until Wednesday, Nov. 30.
As of the moment, the program is still only available in South Korea. However, the company is expected to run a similar program in different territories, but Samsung has yet to confirm when they would be implementing it.
