On November 7, we might witness the launch of another e-reader of Barnes & Noble
Barnes & Noble, the oldest bookseller in United States, is expected to launch a new tablet to challenge Amazon’s Kindle line and Apple’s iPad. The Nook maker is expected to make a “very special announcement” at an event on next Monday. As noted by The Los Angeles Times, it has sent out invitations for an event which will start at 10:00 AM (Eastern) in New York.
Invitation says, “Please join us for a very special announcement”. In the invitation there is an “N” logo which is used for company’s Nook e-readers and tablets. According to different reports circulating, there is a possibility that an updated version of the company’s Nook Color tablet may be launched at the event.
In April, Nook Color received a software update which enables users to access emails, games and web browsers. Presently, the e-reader is based on Google’s Android mobile operating system. A black and white Nook e-reader with a touchscreen e-ink display was released by Barnes & Noble in May.
Earlier this year, the company revealed that it expects sales of Nook and e-books to double during its financial year which is going to end in April 2012 with sales at $ 1.8 billion. In the reader market, Barnes & Noble’s Nook e-reader is at second number while Amazon’s Kindle is at top.
US’s top bookseller faces tough competition with Apple and Amazon for the control of e-reader and tablet market. Its main competitor Amazon secured much of the market after launch of its Kindle Fire tablet and other e-reader models in last month. Mostly analysts consider Kindle Fire tablet as a threat to Apple’s iPad. Mark Moskowitz, Analyst at J.P. Morgan, says that the talk about Amazon becoming No. 2 tablet maker after Kindle Fire’s success is just another ‘speculation’.
The main strategy of the online retailer is to sell its hardware at a low profit margin or even at loss in hope of making the profit through online content sales. Amazon is manufacturing “million more” Kindle Fire units than it had initially decided to manufacture. Now, the company is expected to post an operating loss of $200 in the fourth quarter.
Rumors have started to emerge now which suggest that Apple may build a new device to counter 7-inch devices like Amazon Kindle Fire and the Nook Color with a proposed “iPad Mini” next year. In September, one report claimed that AU Optronics and LG Display are providing Apple with 7.85-inch screens for the iPad Mini. Apple’s success continues as it sold record 11.12 million tablets in the third quarter.
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