Monday, June 24, 2013

Barnes & Noble to shift overwelming priorities to mobile area


Barnes & Noble nook business has been amid rumors of being purchased by Microsoft over the past few months. As a result of the unbearable losses in the hardware line, Barnes & Noble eventually gave up its own OS platform (customized Android OS) with Google appstore and related services integrated. What's more, although father's day was already over, Nook tablet promotion is still available with 7" HD tablet starting at $129 and 9" HD+ tablet starting at $149, which makes it evident that Barnes & Noble is taking a big clearance on Nook tablets.


In the meantime, Barnes & Noble mysteriously removed Nook for PC and Nook for Mac app download links from its webpage but remained Windows 8 and mobile versions (Nook for iOS/Android/). Although Barnes & Noble soon officially confirmed for this behavior, perhaps out of remarkable complaints from readers, it mysteriously added back the download links for PC and Mac in weeks.

No one knows what Barnes & Noble will do about Nook next. But a post from GoodeReader last Friday seems to show that Barnes & Noble will shift overwhelming priorities to the mobile area. It is said that Barnes & Noble will release an updated version of Nook for iOS app this summer with a full support of EPUB 3. Nook books are expected to sell on iOS as well. While Nook Kids app keeps performing well and has taken around 60% market share, there is no further saying about Nook tablets or Nook clients.


Since Nook only wants to close down the Nook hardware business, why did it try to discontinue Nook for desktop service? Whatever the real reason is, Nook customers are bound to suffer loss from it and probably lose their purchased Nook books. People paid for the books, but would no longer have access to them once Barnes & Noble Nook discontinued Nook DRM server at last. If you hope to save your Nook books, you can partly refer to this sideshow and strip Nook DRM in time.


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