Samsung India will begin sale and deliveries of the Galaxy Note 7 
smartphone — whose launch was deferred after nearly three dozen devices exploded during or after charging in overseas markets — by around month-end. It will also offer benefits of nearly $100 (Rs 6,500) for customers. Industry sources told TOI that the company has firmed up a new launch plan after deliveries had to be cancelled on Friday due to a global recall.
The sources said benefits being considered include a free accessory worth around Rs 1,500, a complimentary virtual reality (VR) headset (earlier being offered at Rs 1,990) and free-of-cost VR digital content worth Rs 3,000. The sources said the company wants to create a buzz around the brand with the new addons, especially as the problems with the device have cropped up around the time the new-generation Apple iPhone 7 is about to hit the market. “Samsung hopes to recover from the initial setback through new initiatives,” a source said.
The company had unveiled the phone in India on August 11, and is understood to have got bookings for around 20,000 devices. The 5.7-inch curved screen phone, which boasts of an IRIS scanner, is priced at Rs 59,900.
The South Korean company is believed to be spending as much as $1billion, after deciding to replace all 2.5 million Note 7 phones that were shipped across various markets since they went on sale two weeks ago.In its international communication around recall, a Samsung spokesperson had said, “To date (as of September 1), there have been 35 cases that have been reported globally and we are currently conducting a thorough inspection with our suppliers to identify possible affected batteries.”
