Samsung is getting more than its share of media attention right now, although this type of attention and notoriety is the kind they could do without. The Galaxy Note 7 fiasco is still lingering around, mostly because Samsung cannot seem to determine exactly what caused the Galaxy Note 7’s meltdown problems. While users may not want to hear what went wrong with the Galaxy Note 7 it’s better to know the exact problem, where there is a real chance it can be fixed – this is what customers want to hear about the Galaxy Note 7. Knowing the problem would give customers more confidence that Samsung can fix the issue on future models.
Samsung has come out with a compensation program for those owners of the Galaxy Note 7 that turned them in for a Galaxy S7 or Galaxy S7 Edge to upgrade to the Galaxy S8 next year “without paying much.” In a release from Samsung Korea, apparently this offer would include a chance to upgrade to either a Galaxy S8 or a Galaxy Note 8 next year. Customers would have to pay for one-half of their replacement Galaxy S7 or S7 Edge to qualify for the upgrade. By making this offer, Samsung is indirectly confirming there will be a Galaxy Note 8. There had been speculation and rumors that the Note moniker would be discontinued or the device as well. We do not know whether is offer will extend somehow to countries other than Korea.
It is nice to get some sort of word that there will be another Galaxy Note – it’s arguable there’s no other smartphone quite like it. Samsung recognized a niche for such a device and the need for a larger display and the Galaxy Note was born in 2011. The first year it was sold only on AT&T’s network, but sales were good. The following year, all carriers could sell them, and the Galaxy Note took off. Samsung partnered with Wacom, and the S-Pen has improved every year – and the Galaxy Note 7 was no exception. Samsung has too much tied up in the development of the Note series, and sales were too brisk to turn away from the model. If Samsung can provide us with a reasonable excuse for the Galaxy Note 7’s problems, other than firing a bunch of executives, there should be a long line waiting for the Galaxy Note 8 in 2017.