Samsung hopes Galaxy Note 8 phablet can erase the memory of its phones catching fire

Samsung Electronics set out to wipe the slate clean in New York on Wednesday with the new Galaxy Note 8 phablet, hoping features like dual rear cameras and its biggest-ever screen will extinguish memories of its fire-prone predecessor.

The world’s largest smartphone maker by market share debuted the phone-cum-tablet as it gears up to compete for pre-holiday season sales with a widely expected 10th anniversary iPhone from US rival Apple.

The unveiling came five months after the release of the Galaxy S8 smartphone. Analysts said brisk sales of that device indicate recovery in Samsung’s standing after battery fires prompted the October withdrawal of the Galaxy Note 7 just two months into sales at an opportunity cost of US$5.48 billion.

Safety concerns briefly cost Samsung its number one rank, according to researcher Counterpoint. It has since regained ground, with Strategy Analytics putting its second-quarter market share at 22 per cent, more than Apple and China’s Huawei Technologies Co Ltd combined.

“Of course no one will forget what happened last year, but we also won’t forget the millions that stuck with us,” DJ Koh, the company’s mobile chief, said at the launch event.