Barnes & Noble plans to announce a new e-reader, possibly a lower-end Nook to counter Amazon’s Kindle, next week.
The bookstore chain has invited press to a May 24 event — this date coincides with information in an SEC filing regarding “the launch of a new e-reader device.”
Last month Barnes & Noble revamped the Nook Color, giving the device more tablet functionality. Meanwhile, rival Amazon is rumored to be planning to release its own tablet, which fills a market niche above the Kindle and is more directly competitive with Nook Color.
In response, some speculate that Barnes & Noble’s new e-reader will be a compact, monochrome, lower-priced Nook designed to compete with the Kindle. So far, the Nook has been a successful bulwark against Kindle. Janney Capital Markets analyst David Strasser estimates Nook has 28 percent of the e-reader market.
Barnes & Noble reps declined comment on the announcement.
