14 DAY TRIAL // According to recent information, B&N is not chickening out of the tablet game, on the contrary the company is gearing up to launch the first Nook tablet since 2012.
Earlier this month we brought you news about the disappointing sales B&N posted for the September quarter. Going through the numbers made available by the book giant, it was revealed the revenue in the Nook department experienced a decrease with 32.2% year-over-year.
Rumors surfaced claiming B&N had laid off its entire Nook hardware engineering team, following the dismissal of its VP of Hardware, Bill Saperstein.
But company officials stepped forward to refute the information, saying they had to let some of their employees go, but the Nook team was by no means eliminated from the game.
Back then, the company assured those worried that they will not live to see another Nook tablet coming out, they will be continuing manufacturing “award winning products.” Anyway, new information seems to suggest B&N fans won’t have to wait until next year to see that happening.
The company’s fiscal year ends April 27, so we can expect the new products to arrive any time after that date passes.
Business isn't all that bad for B&N. Even though customers are skittish about purchasing Nook eReaders and tablets, they aren't shying away from purchasing books and other digital media for reading on their devices (which probably run on Android or iOS).
Even if the Nook HD and HD+ tablets aren't bad products, boasting good-enough displays and very attractive price tags (which B&N has been furiously slashing in the past few months) there’s a major caveat.
Hardware wise, the tablets are pretty outdated and slow, so there’s no way they can compete with similar budget offerings coming from Google or Amazon. A hardware refresh will be crucial is B&N insists of carrying on the Nook tradition further.
As we told you earlier this month, B&N has decided to pull the plug some of its older products, including the Nook Touch which has been completely removed from all US online locations and the 2012 Nook Glow (which has a more recent version available in store).
It’s time for B&N to think big and think in the right direction and cancelling aging devices that aren't bringing in any profit, seems a good way to get things moving.