Nook Prices Slashed After Pressure From Competitive Tablet Market

Barnes & Noble has announced that they are slashing Nook prices by $20 for their less-expensive Nook tablet computer, allowing the struggling book retailer to undercut their main competitor, Amazon’s Kindle Fire.

Barnes & Noble, who is the biggest US traditional book seller, announced the price changes on Sunday, noting that they will be cutting the price on their 8GM model Nook tablet from $199 to $179. The Kindle Fire’s 6GB memory table sells for $199. The company also announced that they are reducing the cost of the 16GB model from $249 to $199, a total of $50 less, reports CBS News.

This is the latest development in the tablet wars, which are currently dominated by Apple’s iPad, though the launch of Microsoft’s Surface Tablet is expected to add another element to the mix in October.

Other reasons that Barnes & Noble is cutting Nook prices could be the age of their models, as the Nook Color was first released in 2010 and the Nook Table was released in 2011, reports the Christian Science Monitor.

Amazon is also expected to release a new line of Kindle Fire tablets, a rumored five to six models, while Apple is rumored to launch the iPad mini in September along with the latest iPhone model.

CNet also notes that Barnes & Noble is expected to release a new model of their popular Nook Tablet, meaning that they could be slashing Nook prices in order to get rid of their current stock. Details about the tablet remain widely unknown, although a source told the tech website that the new model will include “revolutionary screen technology.”

Would you consider purchasing Barnes & Noble’s Nook Tablet at its newly discounted price?