Samsung hopes to fend off interest in iPhone, overcome Note 7 disaster by pre-announcing 2017 Note 8

As part of the continuing Galaxy Note 7 fire debacle, Samsung is not only offering financial incentives for customers to trade their problematic phone for a Galaxy S 7 phone and stay in the Samsung ecosystem in the face of pressure from the iPhone 7, but it is also saying that customers in the country will be able to exchange a Galaxy S 7 for the forthcoming Galaxy Note 8 for half the normal price.

Samsung has already well underway in the process to exchange customers holding a Note 7 for the Galaxy S7 smartphone. Financial inducements to do so include offerings of up to 100,000 won ($88.39) to affected customers in South Korea.

Above and beyond any payout, Samsung said in a statement on Monday that users in the upgrade program will need to pay only half the price of the exchange from a Galaxy S7 device, rather than the full amount, before upgrading to the S8 or the future Note 8, reinforcing previous hints that the line was not finished for good by the crisis.

So far, the offer only extends to South Korean customers.

Battery-limiting patch coming to Galaxy Note 7

Samsung also revealed on Tuesday that it will finally push a previously reported update to European users that limits charge to Galaxy Note 7 phones still in the wild to only 60 percent of maximum capacity. Users with the phone in Europe should expect to see the update happen on Oct. 31.

"The update is the latest measure taken by the company to reduce customer risk," Said Samsung. "This new battery software update is specifically designed to remind all Galaxy Note 7 customers to replace their device at their earliest possible convenience through their local Galaxy Note7 Replacement Program."

The update is the second forced update to the phone, with the first only issuing a stern warning to users to immediately power down and return the device.

Samsung initially blamed un-named battery suppliers for the initial round of conflagrations. However, as reports of newly replaced Galaxy Note 7 phones bursting into flames started circulating, this time while the phones were powered off or not being charged, some doubt has been cast on Samsung's original account of the matter as well.

A statement made by Samsung on Oct. 11 declaring the complete cessation of production of the Galaxy Note 7 was made nearly nine weeks after the crisis began, and six weeks after the "voluntary recall" was announced.