Barnes & Noble is reinventing itself, but not its e-readers

My initial e-reader was not a Kindle, but rather a Nook. It boasted a 6-inch 167 ppi E-Ink display, as well as a tiny LED display that was not the greatest, but definitely exciting. It even had features like a headphone jack, wi-fi, and a built-in music player. This was before the iPad came out, so it felt revolutionary and futuristic, like something out of Star Trek. It bridged the gap between my smartphone and computer perfectly. However, Barnes & Noble, the company behind the Nook, could not keep up with the might of Amazon, who had the advantage of subsidizing their e-book business with their other profitable ventures. Over time, Barnes & Noble lost its identity as a contender in the e-reader market, while Amazon emerged as the clear winner.

Today, Barnes & Noble is a privately held company with a new CEO, James Daunt. Daunt was brought in to save the struggling company, which was facing challenges such as high rent, declining sales, and tough competition from Amazon. Daunt’s approach to revitalizing Barnes & Noble is quite ironic. The company, once known for its dominance in publishing, is now empowering its store managers to cultivate an independent spirit in each branch. A recent article in the Wall Street Journal provides an intriguing insight into Barnes & Noble’s strategy for surviving in the age of Amazon without sacrificing its unique identity.

Interestingly, the article does not mention the Nook business, which is probably for the best. When you are trying to rebrand as a hip and independent company, you don’t want to showcase a product like the Nook. Unlike most sleek and modern e-readers on the market, the Nook’s E-Ink display looks like it belongs in the past. It’s reminiscent of the early 2010s. Just looking at it makes you wonder if it knows who the current president is.

But I don’t think it was meant to be this way. When Daunt launched the Nook Glowlight 4 in 2021, he expressed a desire to revitalize the Nook brand in the months and years to come. Since then, the company has released four e-reading devices. They have a 10-inch Android tablet made by Lenovo that looks like any other standard $130 tablet. However, it does come with the Google Play Store, allowing users to choose their preferred e-reader app. The lineup also includes E-Ink readers, with the flagship being the Nook Glowlight 4. It is slightly more expensive than the Kindle and slightly cheaper than the Kobo, but it lacks some of the features of its competitors. On the bright side, it does have page-turning buttons. The Nook Glowlight 4e, priced at $99, also has page-turning buttons but sacrifices quality for affordability. Unfortunately, we experienced several issues with responsiveness, which is incredibly frustrating for an e-reader. If I press a button to turn the page, I expect the page to turn. In September, Barnes & Noble will try to turn things around with the $199 GlowLight 4 Plus. It’s waterproof, has a headphone jack and Bluetooth, and boasts a front-lit E-Ink display with 300ppi resolution and color temperature control. While it may not be as revolutionary as the first-generation Nook from 2009, it is more exciting than what Amazon offers at the same price point. However, the problem is that it still feels somewhat outdated, and if you are already part of the Kindle ecosystem, there is not a strong incentive to switch over unless you want to break free from Amazon or really love physical buttons.

The Nook lineup has a few other features that, in theory, could be compelling, but they always fall short. For example, you can access library books on the Nook, but it requires a USB cable and Adobe software, which feels outdated compared to the seamless experience offered by Overdrive on the Kindle or Kobo’s built-in Overdrive integration. It’s unclear how Daunt’s efforts to reinvigorate the Nook brand are translating into financial success for the company. However, from an outsider’s perspective, it seems challenging for Barnes & Noble to do anything but break even. The market for anti-Amazon customers and diehard Nook fans who never switched to another brand is probably quite limited. Moreover, Barnes & Noble has to compete with Kobo in its bid to attract customers who are opposed to Amazon. Analysts estimate that Amazon holds between 68 and 83% of the e-book market share in the US, so Barnes & Noble needs a strong strategy to differentiate itself and stand out.

Merely offering lackluster design and physical buttons won’t be enough. It would be interesting to see Amazon release an Android E-Ink tablet, especially since these tablets are gaining popularity in non-American markets where there isn’t a duopoly in the e-reader space. You can easily purchase these tablets on Amazon or directly from manufacturers. Personally, I am fascinated by Onyx Boox and its lineup of Android E-Ink tablets.

However, the software experience on these devices is not always optimal, and most Android applications are not designed for E-Ink displays, which have slow refresh rates. This leads to significant friction that is absent when using a traditional tablet or phone. On the other hand, Barnes & Noble has a fantastic app experience. If they could eliminate much of that friction, it would be a game-changer. Imagine an e-reader that supports the Barnes & Noble store out of the box, but also allows users to access their Kindle library, easily borrow books from Libby, or seamlessly read their bookmarked articles in Pocket. Amazon and Kobo will never create a device with that level of flexibility, as they want to keep users within their ecosystems. However, Barnes & Noble is positioning itself as the independent bookseller that celebrates individualism in its physical stores. So, why not extend that spirit to their e-readers as well?

 

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Denial of responsibility! TechCodex is an automatic aggregator of Global media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.