Barnes & Noble is slashing prices for its Nook Tablet and Nook Color devices, beginning Monday.
With growing competition from rivalling tablets and e-readers, the book retailer announced its “lowest pricing ever” in a statement on Sunday.
The 8GB Nook Tablet will now sell for $179, down from $199, while the 16GB version will be $199 from its original $249. The least expensive Nook Color will fall to $149 from $169.
All three devices, with their 7-inch displays, have access to a digital library of e-books, movies, television shows and music.
The price-drop may be a response to the runaway success of Google’s Nexus 7 tablet, which garnered glowing reviews. After the gadget debuted last month, stores quickly sold out of the 16GB model due to high demand.
Amazon is also upping the ante with the upcoming launch of its Kindle Fire successor. There are reports that the tablet, which is expected to ship before September, will be thinner, lighter and have a sharper display than the original.
Buzz is also picking up around the purported iPad mini, which is said to be launching alongside the iPhone 5 in September. The mini could capitalize on the 25% of the tablet market that analysts say Apple hasn’t yet penetrated.
In comparison, sales of Nook devices declined during the fourth quarter due to a lower selling volume, among other issues. Overall losses for Barnes & Noble amounted to $57.7 million — less than they were a year ago, but more than what analysts expected.
Would you buy the cheaper Nook devices, or opt for another tablet? Tell us in the comments below. -Mashable.com
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