Samsung To Sell Old, Used Models For Cheap With Phone Refurbish Program

Well, it was bound to happen sooner or later. The world’s largest phone maker is now planning on selling used phones for a cheaper price. The good news is that the units will be officially refurbished by Samsung, so quality is not going to be in question. However, this move does reflect the inevitable plateauing of the world’s smartphone market.

As Ubergizmo points out, Apple has had its own refurbishing program where customers can get cheaper iPhones and iPads if they don’t want to shell out the full amount for brand new ones. This move by the U.S. company has been quite well-received, which is why it isn’t surprising that its biggest rival would follow suit.

According to Reuters, the South Korean company is in the works of bringing the program to life and could be finalized by 2017. An unnamed source told the publication that this was part of Samsung’s attempt at restructuring its lineup of products in order to keep up with the dwindling high-end smartphone market.

Refurbished phones could also boost the company’s presence in emerging markets such as India, where expensive units at $800 or more are typically inaccessible by most buyers. As such, offering high-end products at significantly lower prices could make Samsung’s phones more attractive.

Additionally, the program could also help stave off Chinese phone makers, which tend to offer smartphones at much cheaper prices. In the case of India, for example, phones costing $90 or less are the most popular. That is a difference that puts Samsung, Apple, and other high-end brands at a significant disadvantage in such markets.

Aside from the appeal that Samsung’s exquisite smartphones bring to the table, the source also told Reuters that refurbished units could be potentially popular among corporations who want high-end security in the phones that they will be providing to employees.