Barnes & Noble plans to launch new Nook tablets alongside its e-readers in the UK later this year, as the book retailer looks to take on the likes of Apple, Amazon and Google in the growing market.
The Nook tablet is smaller than rivals at 7 inches, and is also the lightest such device to offer a “high definition” experience.
The firm has secured distribution deals with some of the country’s leading retailers, but may suffer because its brand is less well known.
While B&N and Amazon have decided to enter the UK’s tablet market at the same time, they are pursuing different strategies: the former has decided to offer its full line-up from the start, while the latter is selling a more limited range.
Competition is likely to be more fierce in the 7in category where the basic £159 Nook HD, featuring 8GB of storage, will compete against similarly priced offerings from Amazon, Kobo and Elonex as well as Asus’s £199 Google-branded Nexus 7 tablet.
The Nook tablets do not display adverts, unlike the Kindle Fire which shows “special offers” when put into lock mode.
