Samsung Galaxy Note 8: Brand Stays, ‘Galaxy Upgrade’; Available To Customers Outside Korea? [VIDEO]

Samsung is keeping the Samsung Galaxy Note brand and not dropping it as previously speculated. The Note brand is now safe and owners can apply for a "Galaxy Upgrade" with the newest Galaxy Note 8, which will be coming out in 2017. However, this upgrade is only available for Samsung customers in Korea.

There have been widespread rumors that Samsung will re-brand the Note in order to eliminate all negative association with the product. This rumor is not surprising after the much publicized defect of the Samsung Galaxy Note 7.

Samsung has reached out to all Note users, recalling all the Galaxy Note 7 even those that were purchased second-hand. Meanwhile, the Korean firm has sent push notifications assuring Samsung Galaxy S7 owners that the smartphones are safe to use.

Last Monday, Oct. 31, Samsung announced that not only will it keep the Note name, but will also release a safer and much more advanced Samsung Galaxy Note 8. As part of the campaign to ensure customer safety and satisfaction, Samsung is offering a "Galaxy Upgrade" to Note owners according to Reuters.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 8 like its predecessor takes on a similar over-all design and function philosophy. The new Samsung phablet is slated for release in 2017. Note owners who have replaced their handsets to a Samsung Galaxy S7 can still apply for an upgrade to a Samsung Galaxy Note 8.

Application will only be up to Nov. 30 of this year. However, Samsung has yet to announce if the "Galaxy Upgrade" program is open to customers outside of Korea.

Evidently, Samsung is enticing back its customers, after a drop in the sales of their handsets. A recent survey shows that even for loyal Korean customers, more than 50 percent views the "Note" name negatively, according to Know Your Mobile.

It may take a good deal of time for the Note to fully recover its name and for Samsung to recoup losses from the explosion disaster. The firm has significantly lowered its earnings forecasts from $7 billion to just $4.6 billion dollars for the third quarter of this year.