With Barnes & Noble planning to kill off the Nook in the near future, Microsoft is reportedly willing to take the eReader line off the company’s hands for the cool $1 billion. TechCrunch reports that Microsoft “is offering to pay $1 billion to buy the digital assets of Nook Media LLC, the digital book and college book joint venture with Barnes & Noble and other investors.” Under the terms of the proposed deal, Microsoft would gain control over Nook “e-books, as well as Nook e-readers and tablets,” so it seems that Microsoft is looking to branch out its tablet business from high-end devices such as the Surface to cheaper tablets and eReaders in the future. Barnes & Noble’s shares jumped nearly 25% in pre-market trading on the rumor.
Microsoft may be willing to take Nook off Barnes & Noble’s hands for $1 billion
Published May 9th, 2013 9:10AM EDT
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Brad Reed has written about technology for over eight years at BGR.com and Network World. Prior to that, he wrote freelance stories for political publications such as AlterNet and the American Prospect. He has a Master's Degree in Business and Economics Journalism from Boston University.
