Barnes & Noble To Partner With Samsung To Produce Co-Branded NOOK Tablets
June 5, 2014
Barnes & Noble has announced a new partnership with Samsung to produce co-branded tablets. The partnership “combines leading Samsung tablet technology with the award-winning NOOK reading experience.”
In early August, the companies are expected to introduce the Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 NOOK. The 7-inch device will be displayed alongside NOOK eReaders at Barnes & Noble’s 700 bookstores across the United States and online at BN.com.
The decision to partner with Samsung is being described as a key component of the bookseller’s efforts to “rationalize” its NOOK business.
The company will continue to develop its line of GlowLight eReaders in-house.
According to Michael P. Huseby, chief executive officer of Barnes & Noble:
Partnering with Samsung brings our customers great new products and evidences our commitment to our NOOK customers and growing our digital content business.One year ago, Barnes & Noble announced they would no longer make their line of NOOK Android-based tablet devices after poor sales. In a statement to investors at the time, the company said that it would no longer make the NOOK HD and NOOK HD+ and instead create a “partnership model for manufacturing in the competitive color tablet market.” It will be interesting to see just how successful the partnership between Barnes & Noble and Samsung will become. On one hand, it looks like a brilliant move given the large number of Barnes & Noble retail locations. Of course, that wasn't enough to make the NOOK a success. Rather than hurt sales of Apple's iPad, perhaps the move will most affect Amazon and its line of Kindle Fire tablets. See also: Apple And Samsung Are The Only Ones Making Money In The Smartphone Market, With Samsung And Sharp Out, Innolux Will Help Produce Displays For Apple's 'iPhone 6,' and Samsung Wearable Patents Show Apple’s Rumored ‘iWatch’ Needs To Impress.
