Barnes & Noble's Nook e-reader, and its similarly branded tablet, haven't been doing so well in recent years. While some out there do prefer it over its counterpart, Amazon's Kindle and Kindle Fire tablet, much of the battle seems to be going Amazon's way. But Barnes & Noble isn't taking this lying down, and so has turned to Samsung to help revitalize the Nook line in a new partnership arrangement.
The new partnership calls for Samsung to create a new Galaxy Tab 4 complete with custom Nook software. A seven inch version of this new co-branded tablet will go on sale this August, at last report, and will be sold right next to the current breed of Nook e-reader. This isn't specifically the end of the road for Barnes & Noble as a device maker, however—reports suggest that the Nook GlowLight will still be available—but the Nook line of Android driven tablets is rapidly coming to its end.
A release from Barnes & Noble proper, meanwhile, brought a bit more perspective to this deal. Working with Samsung, the company said in its release, was part of an effort to “rationalize” the Nook business, and the Samsung arrangement allows the company to stay in the business without the added expense. Some are noting that this is similar to what BlackBerry and Foxconn reportedly did recently; the new Galaxy Tab 4 units are already being produced, but getting an extra augmentation in Nook software, as well as a new sales channel, getting the devices in Barnes & Noble locations. This also fuels speculation on how this will impact pricing structures; will the Galaxy Tab 4 without Nook software be more or less expensive than the Galaxy Tab 4 with Nook software, and if either is the case, how much more or less will the cost be? Additionally, what kind of Samsung software will come on the Galaxy Tab 4 that comes with Nook?
It's not exactly the greatest set of circumstances for the Nook; it's almost being reduced to an app, really, except for the Nook GlowLight. But it's also become pretty clear that that Amazon infrastructure—crammed full of videos, music and of course books—seems to be winning out over the Barnes & Noble infrastructure in terms of the mobile device market. It was the kind of thing that was likely inevitable; the sheer number of mobile devices out there mean that some have to go, and for Barnes & Noble to see this particular chunk of writing on the wall and throw in with Samsung is likely the smartest move the company could have made. It's still involved in the field, and its product line is now vastly simpler, focusing on what is at last report a really sharp e-reading experience in the Nook GlowLight, but it's still a bit poignant to see the Nook go.
It's also a bit disturbing to wonder what kind of price difference there will be between a Galaxy Tab 4 with Nook and its equivalent without. Is Nook a sufficient draw to justify a price hike? If so, how much, and how many will actually pay it when a cheaper Galaxy Tab 4 can be had in some cases just down the street? It's a new day dawning for the Galaxy Tab 4, and for Barnes & Noble. Just how it turns out is the kind of thing only time will tell, but one way or the other, we'll find out soon.
Edited by
Maurice Nagle 
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