Samsung may not continue the Galaxy Note line next year, following the permanent discontinuation of the Galaxy Note 7, according to a recent report from The Korea Herald. The publication claims the Samsung may change its marketing strategy to releasing one flagship smartphone per year instead of two.
A source familiar with the matter told the Herald Samsung is still undecided about exactly how to move forward, but scrapping the Note line is supposedly an option. Overall, these claims cannot be confirmed. However, Samsung is certain to be under the microscope in the coming months as it aims to move forward from its unfortunate situation with its 2016 flagship phablet.
Amid the Galaxy Note 7 fiasco, rumors about an upcoming Galaxy S8 smartphone have continued to circulate. Reports suggest the smartphone will release in spring 2017 with a dual-lens camera, a sub-display fingerprint scanner and compatibility with Google’s Daydream virtual reality protocol.
Following the initial recall in September, some analysts and industry experts were certain Samsung would be able to recover from the device’s defect, which caused its non-removable battery to explode and catch fire. Reports at that time indicated Samsung stopped using its own in-house batteries for the Galaxy Note 7 and partnered with a third-party supplier and independent tester to ensure the safety of new models. However, in recent days, reports claim Samsung tested the both older and newer models of the Galaxy Note 7 in-house.
It took only one incident of a Galaxy Note 7 handset, which was sanctioned as new and safe, to begin smoking in an airplane to take down the 2016 line for good. In recent days, after a second recall, Samsung has been working to collect Galaxy Note 7 handsets from owners who are traveling internationally. The smartphone has since been banned from being taken aboard airplanes.
The optics of a second recall may look unfavorable for Samsung; however, much like during the first, many who own the Galaxy Note 7 hesitate to return the device for a different smartphone. Many have cited a lack of interest in competitor smartphones or a lack of availability for newer devices on the market, such as the Google Pixel.
Perhaps in this space is room for yet another rebound. Tech blog SamMobile suggests Samsung may have options other than discontinuing the Galaxy Note line altogether, such as rebranding the device under a new name or simply moving forward with its next iteration, though accompanying its launch with lots of incentives to attract loyal customers.
At any rate, such claims likely won’t be confirmed until next summer, when Samsung typically announces its new Galaxy Note devices.
