The Bookseller.com

10th October 2008

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Sony plans UK e-reader launch

09.10.07 Katherine Rushton

Sony is expected to launch its e-book reader in the UK at the 2008 London Book Fair, fuelling speculation that Amazon will try and pip it to the post by rush-releasing its own rival device, the "Kindle".

According to publisher sources, Sony is in talks with Waterstone's to sell the device. Tech website Engadget is suggesting that Amazon will launch its Kindle device just after Frankfurt on 15th October—and has reported that it is already selling Kindle versions of books on its website. Speaking this morning at the Frankfurt Book Fair, Publishers Lunch's Michael Cader predicted: "You will hear much, and perhaps write much, in the coming days about Amazon's Kindle and paid online access coming form Google and a host of other initiatives related to this idea of making the book electronic."

Sony unveiled the second version of its e-reader in the US last week, just over a year after the original model. The slimmer PRS-505 is priced at $299 (£147), can hold up to 160 average-sized e-books, and is for sale online, at SonyStyles stores and at Borders stores across the US. Sony would not confirm its plans for entering the UK, but publishers point to a launch next April and are already getting excited about the potential of a new e-reader launch to stimulate e-book sales.

"[It would] certainly inject some impetus into the industry," said Sara Lloyd, head of digital publishing at Pan Macmillan. "Greater availability and choice of e-books, combined with better devices and increasingly digital consumer habits, can't fail to lead to e-books beginning to gain a toe hold in the market."

The head of digital activities at another major trade player predicted a success for Amazon: "If either of them are going to work it will be the Amazon Kindle. But I still don't think it will be the actual device that throws [the market] open."

Katherine Rushton