That e-reader you have today may soon be morphing into a full-fledged tablet device. Bookseller Barnes & Noble has become the second e-reader maker reportedly planning to launch an iPad rival. The company plans to announce May 24 “a new eReader device,” B&N included in Form 8-K filed Wednesday with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
The news, first reported by Reuters, follows a software update to the Android-powered Nook Color, providing users with tablet-like features such as games, web browsing and email. Internet retailer Amazon may also join the tablet fray, lowering the price of its Kindle e-reader to $114 while also talking to iOS developers about porting applications to the device.
Barnes and Noble has struggled to adapt to a publishing environment witnessing increased adoption of e-books parallel with the decline of print book sales. B&N’s stock rose 14 percent Wednesday on the word the company may offer a tablet device. This renewed investor confidence follows an earlier 40 percent drop.
