With the Kindle Fire 2 release date approaching rapidly in the United States, it looks like Barnes & Noble is turning up the heat on Amazon. Reportedly, B&N will be introducing their Nook tablet to the United Kingdom, while the Fire is scheduled to finally debut there as well. The UK content available from B&N is currently questionable though, as is the date they'll make a tablet available there.
According to TechCrunch.com, Barnes & Noble announced just today it will be making its e-readers available in the UK, starting in October. They'll also be opening up a new UK online storefront for their Nook digital bookstore. Currently they offer 2.5 million digital titles to customers. However, the company has yet to announce any of the "leading retailers" they're going to partner with to sell digital content in the UK.
B&N's statement regarding the product launch said:
"The first products to be available when the company begins offering its products in the UK in mid-October," it notes, "include Barnes & Noble's line ofÂ…E Ink Readers, NOOK Simple Touch and NOOK Simple Touch with GlowLight."
This news arrives just as Amazon has partnered up in a deal with Waterstones, a leading book retailer, to finally bring the Kindle Fire to the United Kingdom. It's been a long time coming, as the tablet has been available in the United States since late 2011, and a brand new Kindle Fire 2 release date is coming soon. It's quite possible that the Kindle Fire 2 will arrive to the United Kingdom before any Nook tablets do, as B&N has yet to say when they play to bring tablets there.
Barnes & Noble will also report quarterly earnings this week, and it's apparent they want to turn up the heat on Amazon. However, it appears there's been way more buzz regarding what Amazon's new Kindle Fire 2 will be like, and that's good news for Jeff Bezos and company. Bad news for Barnes & Noble, but possibly getting a jumpstart on the competition will help them just a small bit. With the holidays arriving, getting their name out there ahead of Amazon's may lead to some extra sales when it counts.
(Image Source: Amazon.com)
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