Sony, Kobo strike e-reader deal

The list of ebook platforms has just gotten smaller now that Sony is getting out of the e-reader business.

The company announced today that it is closing its Reader store for U.S. and Canadian customers and migrating its accounts to Kobo starting in late March. The Toronto-based company has a catalog of more than 4 million ebooks and publications, which would be available to Sony’s Reader and Xperia tablet and smartphone users. The deal will also see Kobo’s free app for Android pre-loaded on select Sony Xperia smartphones and tablets.

Sony’s move is not unexpected, according to Techcrunch. The company had clung to a small share of the e-reader market dominated by Amazon’s Kindle and Barnes and Noble’s Nook. Sony now joins forces with one of the fastest growing platforms on the market, and gives Kobo a boost in audience reach.