Sony was the pioneer in the e-reader revolution but it appears to be jumping off at the next turn. For now, the plans are to close its Reader Store and transition customers to Kobo. The Reader Store is set to close on March 20, 2014. How long before Sony simply shutters its whole e-Reader line? Keep in mind, all sorts of devices can easily continue to enjoy a life outside of its source. All those Sony e-Readers out there will continue to function. But the era of Sony e-Readers, of new and improved models, appears to have a dim future if any.
Sony Press Release follows:
Dear Reader Store customer:
As a follow-up to our announcement on February 6, 2014, we wanted to remind you that Reader Store will be closing March 20, 2014 at 6 p.m. (EST). Although we are sorry to say goodbye, we are confident that the transition to Kobo will allow you to continue to enjoy a high quality e-reading experience.
So, what’s next?
As a reminder, in late March, you will receive a notification from us with a link that will allow you to transfer your library to Kobo. Whether you are new to Kobo or already have an account, you’ll be able to transfer your Reader Store eBooks to your Kobo account so you’ll continue to have access to them in the future. Plus, any existing Reader Store credits you might still have in your account will transfer to your Kobo account to use at the Kobo Store. And of course, you can continue to use your Sony Reader to read eBooks from Kobo.
We are fully committed to helping you through this exciting transition to Kobo. With the Kobo Store, you’ll have access to more than 4 million of the world’s best eBooks, magazines, comics and kids’ titles, all at your fingertips.
We want to thank you for being such loyal customers, a part of our reading family, and for your continued support as we work to complete this transition. It has been a pleasure reading with you!
Sincerely,
The Reader Store Team
Visit the Sony blog here.
Go to the Sony FAQ on Sony e-Readers right here.
In other e-book news, Apple urges a U.S. appeals court to void what Apple views as a “radical” e-books ruling after a judge finds Apple in violation of antitrust law. Reuters reports here.
