Sony, one of the first players in the eBook sector, has closed its eBook store The Reader Store. All registered accounts and their libraries will be redirected to the Kobo platform (which boasts around 20 million users worldwide). The transition will be painless, Sony says, and guided by an email of instructions. The agreement also provides that the Kobo app will be preloaded on some Xperia terminals.
The company didn't explain why it was shutting down, however Sony has lagged behind Amazon and others in device and eBook innovations.
"Kobo is the ideal solution for our customers and will provide a robust and comprehensive user experience," said Ken Orii, vice president of the Digital Reading Business Division, Sony Electronics, in a statement. “Our customers will be able to continue to access and read the titles they love from their Sony devices.”
This is how the disposal of the non-profitable assets of the Japanese giant continues in a revision that also foresees 5 personnel cuts by 2015. A company like Kobo, Canadian by birth but Japanese by adoption since it was acquired by the Japanese Rakuten, conquers a certain market share that will allow him to take a step forward in terms of market share.
In particular, in Canada in 2012 the company was the market leader with 46% (according to Ipsos Reid) followed by Amazon with 24% and Sony with 18%. Reading these data, the acquisition of the Sony portfolio would allow Kobo to reach a share well above 50%.
