Samsung Electronics America and the Nook Media subsidiary of Barnes & Noble have announced a partnership to develop Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 Nook tablets.
The co-branded mobile-enabled tablets will combine Samsung’s Android-powered Galaxy Tab 4 hardware with customised NOOK e-reader software, making it easier for users to download and read eBooks, magazines and newspapers.
A 7-inch version of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 Nook is expected to be released in the USA in early August, although further availability hasn’t been confirmed.
Michael P Huseby, the CEO of Barnes & Noble, said “We are very excited and proud to partner with Samsung, a world-class technology and tablet leader, to create customized co-branded devices featuring our valuable NOOK reading experience and digital content catalog for Barnes & Noble customers nationwide. Standing behind these great new devices will be the power of our 40,000 Barnes & Noble booksellers combined with our deep bookselling and retail expertise to provide sales support and personalized in-store customer service for our lineup of new Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 NOOK products. Partnering with Samsung brings our customers great new products and evidences our commitment to our NOOK customers and growing our digital content business.”
Last year Barnes & Noble said it would end production of own-brand colour-screen Nook tablets, although it’ll continue to offer its Nook GlowLight eBook reader.