Quote:
Originally Posted by Logseman
This gives even more pressure to certain companies (are you listening, Pocketbook? And you, Bookeen?) to offer lower prices.
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That kind of pressure can sometimes lead to companies abandoning markets altogether.
Just saying.
Until it becomes clear if this is an industry-sustainable price or a content-subsidized price this is "interesting" but not a clear win for consumers. Not if it reduces the market for viable eink readers in the US to Nook and Kindle.
Right now we don't know if these prices are a result of lower component costs (which might allow competitors to follow, even if at a distance) or just B&N buying mind share and marketshare for its ebook *store*. As pointed out in the "$49 Kindle" debate, captive ebook readers like Nook and Kindle might be able to survive in a subsidized-hardware pricing regime. Sony and other pure hardware vendors likely wouldn't acrue the same benefits.