Sony Wants No Part of Emerging eBook Reader Price War
Posted 07/30/10 at 09:13:05 AM by Paul Lilly
While Amazon and Barnes & Noble go for each other's jugular by releasing new and lower priced eBook readers, Sony says it's content to sit on the sidelines rather try to chase the lowest price eReader crown.
"Pricing is one consideration in the dedicated reading device marketplace, but Sony won't sacrifice the quality and design we're bringing book lovers to lay claim to the cheapest eReader," said Phil Lubell, Sony's vice president of digital reading. "Our global customers expect to get the best digital book reading experience and we’re concentrated on delivering that by investing in Sony’s award-winning design and original digital reading enhancements, such as eBook library borrowing and the only full touch-screen on the market."
Sony's comments are interesting because they seem to insinuate that the competition is cutting corners in order to lower hardware prices. That might be true with both Amazon and B&N now offering 3G-less Wi-Fi only models, but even their original eReaders recently came down in price.
What do you think is a fair price for a general purpose eBook reader?
Pearl E-Ink 9.7inch screen and E-Pub...
Submitted by JohnP on Sat, 07/31/2010 - 4:14pm
My next E-Book reader after having my SONY 505 Reader for a couple of years now. Amazon Kindle 2 has everything right except E-Pub compatibility (thanks, Jeff, for trying to own the e-book format with your .amz propritary crap).
SONY, are you listening?
Submitted by dcrail on Fri, 07/30/2010 - 12:59pm
What? Sony doesn't want to drop their prices? Shocking.
Submitted by ProtoJMB on Sun, 08/01/2010 - 9:41am
And this is why Sony fails...
Submitted by Michael Ellis on Fri, 07/30/2010 - 12:42pm
I know we are nowhere near there, but I have an eReader. It exudes a constant sense of cheapness due mostly to its digital ink screen which reminds me of the paper inserts that are used in demos. Because of this feeling of cheapness, I think it will be necessary to lower prices darastically in order to avoid giving customers a sense of being ripped off. Furthermore, the e-ink thing really is unnecessary. Given a choice between a Droid Incredible with a kindle app and my e-reader, I would just go for the Droid. There is nothing difficult about reading from a cell phone screen. As a result, the e-ink screens become a convenience rather than a necessity subsequently requiring lower prices to justify buying them.
At least that is my opinion.
Submitted by JohnP on Sat, 07/31/2010 - 4:09pm
LCDs have been around for 20 years, E-Ink for two. In those two years, E-Book readers have took off in a stratospheric rise. Why just now? It's because reading a book on E-Ink is a great experience and reading for any length of time on an LCD screen sucks.
Before comdeming an entire technology tree, just try reading a book for 4 hours straight on a Droid. You will soon find out why E-Ink has sold so many readers.
Submitted by violian on Fri, 07/30/2010 - 11:02am
I'm really interested in the new and upcoming $139 Amazon Kindle. The upcoming Kindle has superior hardware compared to the Sony's, and at half the retail price. The Kindle also has more support/backing from major publishers.
Submitted by snerb on Fri, 07/30/2010 - 9:24am
My mother-in-law has been thrugh 2 different eReaders since Xmas. She loves the product but how do you lump the "quality" statement in there. I'm sure she would have a few choice words for Sony on this one.
Submitted by mourngrym1969 on Fri, 07/30/2010 - 8:41am
$99
It's a utility device for reading text. Display of basic greyscale graphics is nice, but ultimately, I am reading books. I want a 7"+ display, clearly viewable indoors and out for $99 with WiFi (3g is convenient but largely unnecessary). Anything more and it either needs significantly more functionality (color, email, browsing, video) or I won't buy it.
good point. 99 or fugedaboutit
Submitted by essjay22 on Fri, 07/30/2010 - 7:00pm
Ditto. anything after that will buy me a hellofa lot of real books that i don't have to worry about dropping breaking losing charging etc.
Submitted by sojrner on Fri, 07/30/2010 - 8:18am
For an ereader, touch is not needed IMO. (smudges on a screen I'm reading annoy me) Currently I've tested the sonys and a nook as well looked at a kindle. The sony is lagging behind in (for me) the all important contrast and response. They are losing in a market that they really started.
Submitted by JohnP on Sat, 07/31/2010 - 4:18pm
Yeah, SONY bit themselves when they overlaid the touch screen on the E-Ink display and brought the contrast way down. That is why E-Ink just came out with Pearl screen which has much more contrast (new Kindles have it). It should allow a touch screen to be added without losing the reading experience.
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