MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - Sony's Response To New Kindle: Not Chasing "Cheapest E-Reader" Title

SensualPoet · 07-31-2010, 05:49 PM

Sony has been in "turn-around" mode for a few years. It's a great brand and has produced a lot of outstanding consumer electronic products over the years. Without question, its e-readers were top-of-the-line when released. But Sony's challenge is it is a Queen Elizabeth II ship at a time when markets are fragmenting and smaller vessels or alternate systems are needed to shore up profits.

It's astounding how quickly markets are changing. Sony's e-readers seem too "2008ish" or "2009ish" ... yikes! Has the world changed that much in seven months of 2010?

The answer is: "Yes, it has". During 2010, Google has entered, and exited, the world market with its Nexus One mobile phone. The same applies to Microsoft with its Kin phones. In less than one year -- starting at Oct 2009 -- Amazon has released the Kindle 2, the Kindle 2 international, the DX international, the DX Graphite with new tech screen, added free unlimited 3G Internet in 100 markets, weathered a mutiny by five core suppliers, survived, thrived and profited through the iPad onslaught. What has Sony done during this time? Approximately nothing in the e-reader space. Have they even bothered with an iPad / iPhone / iTouch e-book store app?

It's hardly news that Sony isn't today and never has "chased the cheapest" devices in any market. But how does sitting on the sidelines -- when Amazon's evolution, B&N with Nook and the price leader Kobo have come to market in the past 10 months -- further Sony's e-reader division's future? Sony has signaled they are NOT interested in participating and the latest interview "we're focussed on quality" simply proves the division's demise is imminent.

Perhaps they will fold the e-bookstore into B&N and become the manufacturer of Nooks.

07-31-2010, 05:49 PM	#23
SensualPoet Wizard Posts: 2,302 Karma: 2607151 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Toronto Device: Kobo Aura HD, Kindle Paperwhite, Asus ZenPad 3, Kobo Glo	Sony has been in "turn-around" mode for a few years. It's a great brand and has produced a lot of outstanding consumer electronic products over the years. Without question, its e-readers were top-of-the-line when released. But Sony's challenge is it is a Queen Elizabeth II ship at a time when markets are fragmenting and smaller vessels or alternate systems are needed to shore up profits. It's astounding how quickly markets are changing. Sony's e-readers seem too "2008ish" or "2009ish" ... yikes! Has the world changed that much in seven months of 2010? The answer is: "Yes, it has". During 2010, Google has entered, and exited, the world market with its Nexus One mobile phone. The same applies to Microsoft with its Kin phones. In less than one year -- starting at Oct 2009 -- Amazon has released the Kindle 2, the Kindle 2 international, the DX international, the DX Graphite with new tech screen, added free unlimited 3G Internet in 100 markets, weathered a mutiny by five core suppliers, survived, thrived and profited through the iPad onslaught. What has Sony done during this time? Approximately nothing in the e-reader space. Have they even bothered with an iPad / iPhone / iTouch e-book store app? It's hardly news that Sony isn't today and never has "chased the cheapest" devices in any market. But how does sitting on the sidelines -- when Amazon's evolution, B&N with Nook and the price leader Kobo have come to market in the past 10 months -- further Sony's e-reader division's future? Sony has signaled they are NOT interested in participating and the latest interview "we're focussed on quality" simply proves the division's demise is imminent. Perhaps they will fold the e-bookstore into B&N and become the manufacturer of Nooks. Last edited by SensualPoet; 07-31-2010 at 05:53 PM.