Amazon today responded to Barnes & Noble’s price reduction of the Nook by reducing the Kindle to $189, from $259. The move was presumably in response to Barnes & Noble’s introduction of a $149 Wi-Fi version of that company’s eReader, the Nook.
Barnes & Noble also reduced its 3G version of the Nook to $199. The 3G versions of both the Kindle and the Nook get their wireless connections from AT&T.
The Kindle’s new price falls squarely between the two Barnes & Noble devices and seems to signal the beginning of a price war in the eReader space. It remains to be seen if Sony will join the race to lower prices. Sony makes a pair of eReaders that sell for $199 and $169, but both need to be connected to a computer via a USB cable. Sony’s only other eReader is 3G capable but costs $349.
The next front in the eBooks market will perhaps be waged on the content side, with Apple in the space via its iPad tablet and accompanying iBooks application and service.
Filed Under: Devices
