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Consumer reports now talking about a new Sony Reader coming this month

I got a tweet this morning from a friend. He’d read CR's recent review of the Nook Touch and he was curious about a rumor tucked into the end of the article.

We’re waiting to receive and test at least one other e-book reader: the Kobo eReader Touch, which also has a Pearl E Ink touchscreen. And an announcement is expected this month on a new line of Sony Reader e-book devices; the current Readers also have E Ink touch-screens.

Initially I wrote this off as linkbait, but now I’m not sure.

I really don’t think this rumor is true. I’ve looked and I cannot recall any other rumors about Sony announcing new ereaders in June, so CR seem to have come up with this on their own. Normally I’d leave it there, but then I started looking at the time line and I realized that CR might be on to something (maybe).

Sony have launched at least one new Sony Reader each year since 2007. For the first 2 years Sony launched in the fall but for the past couple years Sony launched in August. We’re in late June now, so an August launch isn’t too far away.

There’s at least a small chance that CR got wind of the upcoming launch. I’m still not sure I believe it, but I do think that it is almost as likely that someone got the date wrong as opposed to getting the entire rumor wrong.

What do you think?

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Comments


Mike Cane June 20, 2011 um 11:00 am

OK, that makes sense then. Why the pipeline has been clearing out so quickly and why Sony stopped shipping them. But the big question remains: Will they be back at those major retailers again? Best Buy? Target? Etc? They’re Sony. So I suppose so.


Sony’s US$99.99 New Reader? | Mike Cane's xBlog June 20, 2011 um 11:49 am

[…] Consumer reports now rumor-mongering about a new Sony Reader coming this month […]


Scott_T June 20, 2011 um 12:31 pm

The only rumor I expect to hear from sony about ebook readers is that they’re going to stop making one. I figure the low prices on all the other readers would put them out of business

Chris June 20, 2011 um 1:54 pm

If they were another limited focus outfit like Amazon or B&N, then yes. Since they’re so diversified, that’s not necessarily the case.

Sweetpea June 21, 2011 um 1:54 am

In Europe, we don’t have a lot of those "low priced" readers. So, I doubt that would be a reason for Sony to get out of the business. They are doing really well over here.


Chris June 20, 2011 um 1:59 pm

I don’t think CR is such a shady outfit as to just make stuff up. It would make sense that they would have an inside skinny that most of the rest of the 'net does not. Going by my experience, the lack of availability of the current Reader version this time of year has been a prelude to the new version being unveiled. I could, of course, be totally wrong this time. Sony has had quite the shit sandwich to get through this year.

Nate Hoffelder June 20, 2011 um 2:09 pm

I didn’t mean to imply they just made it up, but I don’t see any other evidence for the rumor.

Chris June 20, 2011 um 4:13 pm

Fair enough. But you can see how phrases like "rumor-mongering" and "come up with this on their own" can give that impression.

Nate Hoffelder June 20, 2011 um 10:37 pm

Fair enough. I changed the title.


Tyler June 20, 2011 um 2:08 pm

I believe I mentioned this several weeks ago that when Sony was being discussed that they are clearing their inventories for a new reader line.


New Sony Readers coming soon? | The Digital Reader June 23, 2011 um 8:50 am

[…] This isn’t the type of service you get from a company about to exit a market. In fact, this is better service than I’ve ever seen for the Sony Reader. I’m really beginning to wonder if Consumer Reports might have been on to something earlier this week. […]


Next Week: Amazon And Sony | Mike Cane's xBlog June 24, 2011 um 4:56 pm

[…] the Consumer Reports line is to be believed, then next week Sony will be announcing its new Reader lineup. Let’s see if […]


Thanks For Nothing, Consumer Reports! | Mike Cane's xBlog July 1, 2011 um 7:01 am

[…] Consumer reports now talking about a new Sony Reader coming this month […]


New Sony Readers coming in August, says Sony VP | The Digital Reader July 14, 2011 um 7:14 am

[…] the Consumer Reports rumor came up last month, I said that CR probably had the date wrong and the new Sony Readers would likely be released in […]


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