14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer is out for shopping these days, with sources familiar with the matter now claiming that the Softies are planning to take over Noble’s Nook Media division.
Even though there are no official details on this, TechCrunch reports that Microsoft is willing to pay as much as $1 billion (€759 million) for a significant part of the subsidiary, including the Nook tablet and the eReader business. The college textbook division, on the other hand, doesn’t seem to be covered by the deal.
Citing leaked internal documents, the same source reports that Nook Media has already worked out a plan for the next couple of years, most likely in case the deal with Microsoft goes through.
It appears that the company might pull the plug on Nook tablets using the Android operating system by 2014 and focus solely on third-party devices running its own software application.
While negotiations are yet to be confirmed, such a deal would pretty much make sense for the software giant, especially because sources familiar with the matter have already confirmed that Microsoft is planning to release its very own e-reader.
Microsoft has already invested $300 million (€227 million) for a 16.8 percent in a joint venture with Barnes and Noble, but until now, the tech giant is yet to develop something really exciting based on this deal.
Truth is, Barnes and Noble has indeed launched a Windows 8 application for Nook users, providing adopters of Microsoft’s new operating system with some special exclusive goodies.
In addition, sources familiar with the matter have indicated that the two companies were working on several projects, but no other specifics have been provided.
Of course, take all of these with a pinch of salt until Microsoft issues an official statement on the matter.