Samsung to begin selling refurbished smartphones by 2017: Reuters

According to a Reuters report, Samsung is making preparations to begin selling refurbished smartphones “as early as next year”.

As it stands, the scheme would offer discounts on last-generation models from premium lines like the Galaxy Note and Galaxy S series. Countries like the US and South Korea offer one-year upgrade programs, allowing consumers to trade in their older Samsung device in order to pay less for the latest model. According to Reuters, these recovered handsets will now be put up for sale as discounted “refurbished” pieces, for those on a budget.

Unfortunately, the unidentified source refused to comment on how much the resold phones would be discounted for, or where the offers would be made available. However, given that one-year-old smartphones are unlikely to require major repairs in in the average case, Samsung could stand to significantly boost its revenue stream with a resale program, especially in markets like India.