Back when the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 launched in the market, it was very well received by reviewers and fans all around the globe. Now, if I were to tell you that the same phone, with its battery problems being fixed, would retail at less than $500, what would be your reaction?

Korea’s the investor was first to reveal this information to the public. The report from the website states that this premium phablet is widely rumored to be released at around 50% discount as compared to the original price tag. If true, this would take the Note 7R’s price tag to as low as $440 since the same phone launched at around $850 – $870 in the US and the South Korea. It’s interesting to note that the earlier rumors stated Note 7R’s price tag at around 700,000 KRW (~$620).

While a price tag of less than $500 would make the Galaxy Note 7R an attractive choice for Android lovers, it’s unlikely that Samsung would price it so cheap. The refurbished Note model is expected to feature the same premium specs as the previous generation, except for the battery, which is said to be reduced to 3200mAh capacity. Another change would be the new Android 7 version on the model.

RELATED: Samsung Galaxy S8 Might Be Easy To Break, But It Won’t Cost A Fortune For Its Repairs

Note that the investor’s report states that the “the phone is widely rumored to be priced about 50% cheaper” and does not directly confirm this super cheap price tag.

As for the release, the Galaxy Note 7R is currently in the stage of obtaining safety certification in South Korea, and we can expect the phone to be launched in the coming months, maybe around early June, a good few weeks before the Note 8’s launch.

So what do you think? Will Samsung take the leap and price the refurbished model at 50% discount than original? Also, would you be interested in the phone if the price is so low?

I sure would love to get my hands on the refurbished Note 7R if it’s below $500.

(Source)

The post Samsung’s Refurbished Galaxy Note 7R Could Sell At Half The Original Cost appeared first on Gizmochina.

Smartphone screens are one of the most important components of new-age handsets. If we jump up the screen size from 4-inches to 6.44-inches, there would still be a few options for customers and note that we are still talking about phones and not tablets. We all know the massive Xiaomi Mi Max with its 6.44-inch display and some of you may think, who would be crazy enough to buy this giant smartphone. Well, as we revealed before, turns out, quite a lot of people love the large screen size, and the sales of this relatively new phablet could have very well crossed the 1.5 million mark within two months of its launch.

There is no doubt that Samsung dominates the smartphone industry with its super popular Galaxy series. And the latest Galaxy Note 7 is one of the best phablets with an amazing display, probably the best in the market right now. However, the curved edge screen and the waterproofing technology does come at a cost, and if by chance, you happen to break the screen on the Note 7 (which should be less likely considering it comes with the new Gorilla Glass 5 panel), then you are left with two options, replace the screen on your device or just use the same money to buy a brand new Xiaomi Mi5 smartphone.

According to the folks over at PhoneArena, who had a chat with Samsung’s support, replacing the Note 7’s screen would be a costly affair, costing somewhere around $270 for the entire process. This does include the screen replacement, handling, shipping and other related charges. But it would surely make a dent in your pocket.

At this price, you would get a brand new Xiaomi Mi5, albeit the standard version. The phone is powered by a Snapdragon 820 chip, 3GB RAM, a 5.2-inch 1080p with Gorilla Glass 4 protection and comes with a decent camera as well.

READ MORE: Xiaomi Mi5 Review: A Beast of a Smartphone, For Less!

Now, you would argue that if you were paying this much, you would rather replace the screen than buy the Mi5. I would have agreed, but think what happens if you drop your phone the second time. Buying an insurance would probably be the wiser choice, but even with that, you would be paying around $210 ($129 initially + $79 deductible) for the replacement (Samsung’s Protection Plus cover).

What are your thoughts?

NOTE: I love the Galaxy Note 7 and I know it’s one of the best phablets you can buy right now but after reading the replacement cost of its screen, I realized that you could actually buy a decent flagship for the same price. Hence, this article.

The post If You Break Your Galaxy Note 7’s Screen, Go Buy A Brand New Xiaomi Mi5! appeared first on Gizmochina.

Samsung was one of the first companies to popularize the concept of phablets. And there will be no list that doesn’t include the company’s popular Galaxy Note series. Today, Samsung released the sixth generation version of the new Galaxy Note model and like expected, it has skipped a generation when it comes to naming, as the phablet will be called as the Samsung Galaxy Note 7.

Here is our live hands-on video from the Samsung Unpacked event made by Linus:

The company’s Note series has always featured top-end specs and this year’s edition is no exception. However, this year, Samsung seems to have taken most of the specifications from the Galaxy S7 Edge model that was released a few months back. Not that this is a bad thing, but the company usually has a tradition of equipping its Note series flagships with even better specs that its flagship Galaxy S series. Nevertheless, the phone is a beast and it comes with powerful specs like the Snapdragon 820 quad-core chip, 4GB of RAM and a capable 12MP f/1.7 aperture rear sensor. Furthermore, the Note 7 is going to be water and dust resistant since it’s IP68 certified. And then there’s the MicroSD card slot, which was absent in last year’s generation.

Samsung seems to have taken design cues from the S7 Edge for the new Note 7 as this particular model also comes with dual edge curved display, a first for the series. It’s a 5.7-inch Super AMOLED panel with 2K resolution, making it a bit larger than the S7 Edge model. Like tradition, Gorilla Glass protects the screen, and this time it’s the new Gorilla Glass 5! As for the battery, the phone will feature a decent 3500mAh capacity one inside.

Apart from the powerful specs, the Galaxy Note 7 comes with an iris scanner as well. You get a fingerprint scanner as well, just in case you want another option. But the company claims that the iris scanner is much more secure than the fingerprint sensor. Apart from unlocking the smartphone, the iris scanner can lock apps, photos, notes and folders as well.

The Note 7 also comes with a new Stylus called S Pen, which now features 4096 levels of pressure sensitivity (2x when compared to the last generation) and is water resistant as well. The software also gets an upgrade, now coming with cleaner colors and better-looking visuals. It’s Android 6 based UI but the company has promised Android 7 Nougat update later.

The phone will be available for sale from August 19 in Blue Coral, Gold Platinum, Silver Titanium and Black Onyx colors. Pricing is expected to be on the same lines as previous generation Note series models.

The post Samsung Unveils the Galaxy Note 7 Flagship With Curved Display, SD820 & Updated Stylus appeared first on Gizmochina.