Amazon Kindle
Not only that Sony plans to release a $199 e-book reader, $100 less than Amazon’s entry model Kindle, it is planning to standardize the e-book format called ePub that is accessible by other applications. Up to this point, Amazon has been selling its e-books in the exclusive format that other devices cannot access to. While Amazon is selling books, Sony is trying to sell convenience to its consumers.
Amazon’s Strategy
It is no doubt a smart move for Amazon to release its own e-book reading device, Kindle, in the first place. Although analysts were skeptical about the demand of the product, Amazon has successfully tied its contents and the device to approach the target customer right. If it wasn’t started by Amazon, e-book reader would not have become so popular in this age of the internet. The strategy is very similar to the success of Apple selling cool gadgets with attractive contents in a package. However, an exclusive deal is always opposed by an open deal such as Google’s Android (open) for Apple’s iPhone (closed).
Sony’s Strategy
Just as Google promoting open-source mobile platform to benefit users and developers, Sony is promoting open e-book format that will be potentially accessible by any applications. If you are aware of what Google is doing with its Google Books, you may have already realized that it is no coincidence that Sony has been supporting Google’s open book project. Not only that the e-book format will be open, Sony is for the first time selling electronic device that is considerably cheaper than its consumer. So exactly, what is Sony selling to its customers? Assuming that the project will take off successfully, readers will be able to read more books at a cheaper price (since the book file is not exclusive anymore), and it is easy for customers to actually start reading e-books on a device that has competitive price.
Conclusion
It is very challenging to standardize the e-book format, but Sony has already shown its success in its history including the recent Blu-ray win over Toshiba’s HD-DVD. The market is still at early-adopting stage but it’s showing great traction, so it makes sense for Sony to enter in this market at this time.
Read more about Sony’s e-book reader
Sony readers to use open e-book format in move against Kindle
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