B&N To Get Out of Nook Business

Even the most optimistic B&N fans have to admit that the Nook business is not succeeding. B&N has not been able to keep up with the market and is struggling to keep the Nook hardware relevant. This is nearly a year after Microsoft invested $300 million in Barnes & Noble’s Nook business. As the New York Times has reported, a person familiar with B&N’s strategy has suggested the company is possibly moving away from its hardware strategy.

They are not completely getting out of the hardware business, but they are going to lean a lot more on the comprehensive digital catalog of content

Barnes & Noble is not completely exiting the market. This is a shift in strategy but does indicate that its hardware business is failing. As analysts have explained, Nook devices are quality tablets but the brand has failed. Besides, the tablet PC market is highly compatible with many large players involved.

B&N still has a decent portion of the Android tablet market. But the company is not on the right track. With Google Nexus 7, iPad Mini, Kindle Fire HD, and Samsung tablets getting most of the attention, Nook devices were always going to have a difficult time staying competitive. It should go without saying that if you are thinking about buying Nook devices, now is the time to look at other options available.