Sony is rolling out revamped versions of its three e-readers, and selling its Pocket Edition at a higher price, in a bid to compete against the cheaper Amazon Kindle and Barnes & Noble Nook.
Sony's strategy for boosting its sales numbers in that same market? Raise the price of its refreshed Reader Pocket Edition, and justify it with additional features such as touch-screens and a lighter, smaller form-factor.
Sony's new Reader Pocket Edition will retail for $179, a cost increase of $29 from its previous version. The revamped Touch Edition will cost $299, with the Daily Edition topping out the line at $299. The devices now feature slimmer and lighter bodies, more sensitive touch-screens (courtesy, apparently, of infrared sensors), and e-ink screens with higher contrast and clarity.
The question is whether those features will attract users who would otherwise gravitate towards the Kindle or Nook, both of which retail for $189. While the Daily Edition features the same sort of 3G connectivity as the Kindle and Nook, neither the Pocket Edition nor the Touch Edition offers a wireless option. Furthermore, both Amazon and Barnes & Noble sell WiFi-only versions of the Kindle and Nook for $139 and $149, respectively; that, along with recent price cuts among smaller e-readers, exerts considerable pressure for new devices on the market to be cheaper, not more expensive.
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Source: Nicholas Kolakowski, eWeek
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