The world’s largest smartphone producer, Samsung has unleashed plans to resurrect the Galaxy Note 7 and according to them, the new Galaxy Note FE device was launched on July 7, 2017.
The revamped smartphone is called the Galaxy Note FE, short for Fan Edition. And for those who need a bit of convincing to buy a new version of a device that became synonymous with spontaneous combustion, Samsung has thrown in a few perks.
Most importantly, the Galaxy Note FE will come with lower capacity batteries that have undergone the company’s latest safety test. Earlier this year, Samsung blamed poorly designed and manufactured batteries for the overheating problems that caused some of the Note 7 phones to explode.
Samsung Galaxy Note FE Price, Release Date
The refurbished Galaxy Note 7 was launched in South Korea on July 7, 2017, with just 400,000 devices and was sold at a very reduced cost of 699,600 won ($609). That price is about 30% less than the original Note 7. The device also came with updated software and Bixby, Samsung’s new artificial intelligence assistant. Moreso, the company said that it hasn’t made a decision yet to selling the device outside Korea, so Note 7 fans out there will have to bid their time till they get their hands on the new device.
It is not yet available in some African countries, including Nigeria but can be found online in some major e-commerce stores (Amazon puts the price at $819.99 with free shipping). The price in Nigeria should be less than its predecessor, the Samsung Galaxy Note 7. It should fall between N290,000 and N350,000.
Specs, Design and Other Information
The Samsung Galaxy Note FE maintained exactly the same designs of its predecessor – the Galaxy Note 7 – except for little variations which are not standout. One noticeable difference is the fact that the battery has being reduced. Samsung Galaxy Note 7 came with a 3,500mAh Li-Ion battery, but the Note FE is packaged with a 3,200mAh Li-Ion battery as a way of ensuring the explosions that bedeviled the former is controlled and checked.
The Galaxy Note FE runs on an upgraded Andriod software, the same version in the Galaxy S8 and S8 plus. It is still waterproof and maintains an IP68 rating with the newest Samsung smart assistant, Bixby. It is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 5. It also weighs 167g with a thickness of little less than 8mm. It still maintains the Iris (eye) and fingerprint scanners of the Note 7 along with the Qi wireless charging.
More on the specifications of the Samsung Galaxy Note FE include:
- CPU Speed: 2.3GHz, 1.6GHz
- CPU Type: Octa-Core
- Size (Main Display): 143.9 mm (5.7″)
- Resolution (Main Display): 2560 x 1440 (Quad HD)
- Technology (Main Display): Dual edge Super AMOLED
- Colour Depth (Main Display): 16m
- S Pen Support: Yes
- Rear Camera Resolution: 12.0 mp
- Front Camera Resolution: 5.0 mp
- Video Recording Resolution: UHD 4K (3840 x 2160)@30fps
- RAM Size: 4gb
- ROM Size: 64gb
- External Memory Support: MicroSD (Up to 256gb)
- Number of SIM: Dual-SIM (Nano SIM-4FF)
- Infra: 2G GSM, 3G WCDMA, 3G TD-SCDMA, 4G LTE FDD, 4G LTE TDD
- USB Interface: USB Type-C
- Bluetooth: Yes
- Wi-Fi: 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac 2.4G+5GHz, VHT80 MU-MIMO
- Operating System: Android
- Dimension (HxWxD, mm): 153.5 x 73.9 x 7.9
- Weight: 167 grams
- Battery Capacity: 3200mAh (Inbuilt)
Other Interesting Facts About Galaxy Note FE’s Predecessor Note 7
Samsung’s Galaxy Note 7 was unveiled on August 2, 2016, and was released on August 19, 2016, as a successor to the Galaxy Note 5.
The smartphone was indeed an evolution of the Galaxy Note 5 that inherited hardware components and improvements from the Galaxy S7, including the restoration of expandable storage and IP68 water resistance, and new features such as a dual-sided curved display, support for high-dynamic-range (HDR) color, improvements to the bundled stylus and new software features which utilize it, an iris recognition system, and a USB Type-C port.
However, the demand for the Galaxy Note 7 on launch was high, breaking pre-order records in South Korea and causing international releases to be delayed in some markets due to supply shortages. The Galaxy Note 7 also received positive reviews from critics, praising the quality of its construction, HDR support, as well as its streamlined user interface, although it was panned for its high price and increasing similarities in overall specifications to the main Galaxy S series phones.
Unfortunately, there were reports coming from all over the world about the incessant explosions of the smartphone following excessive heat generated by the phone battery during charging.
On September 2, 2016, the Korean company suspended the sale of the smartphone and announced the recall of the smartphone after they have discovered the defect in the phone batteries.
The recall had a major impact on Samsung’s business in the third quarter of 2016, with the company projecting that its operating profits would be down by 33% in comparison to the previous quarter. Credit Suisse analysts estimated that Samsung would lose at least $17 billion in revenue from the production and recall of the Galaxy Note 7.
Expectations
As it stands, the revived phone may be a very tough sell if you aren’t a serious Note 7 devotee. Remember, the unveiling of Note 8 is likely weeks away. Many people would think it’s probably not a good idea to buy last year’s phone (albeit at a discount) knowing a big upgrade Note 8 is right around the corner. Still, this is at least a smart use of resources. Activists were worried Samsung would create massive amounts of e-waste by tossing Note 7 units aside instead of repurposing them.
According to reports, Samsung’s Galaxy Note 8 will be launched late September this year and would be the most expensive model Samsung ever produced. The retail price will be going for about €999 which should be around $900. The Note 8’s release is most likely to come before the iPhone 8.
