Sony has announced its Sony Reader Store will close down on June 16, with Kobo taking over eBook sales.
From June 16, Sony Reader and Sony Xperia devices in the UK, Germany, Austria and Australia (the four countries in which the Sony Reader Store is closing) will get access to the Kobo eReader platform.
The exact timing will vary from country to country, but Sony will provide more details closer to the close-down date.
“Although we’re sorry to say goodbye to the Reader Store, we’re also glad to share with you the new, exciting future for our readers: Reader Store will transfer customers to Kobo – an admired eBook seller with a passionate reading community,” said Sony. “We strongly believe that this transition will allow you to enjoy a continued high-quality eReading experience.”
You will receive an email in late June from Kobo providing a link that will let you transfer your Sony Reader library direct to Kobo, even if you don’t have an existing Kobo account.
Sony does warn that some titles contained within the Sony Reader Store may not be available within the Kobo store, so you should download all your eBooks before making the switch to ensure you don’t lose any.
It’s worth remembering that Sony Reader Store vouchers won’t be compatible with Kobo, so you’ll need to spend them on titles within Sony’s eBook store before June 16. These titles can then be transferred to your Kobo account.
However, Kobo states that if you transfer your library before May 31, any Reader Store credits in your account will migrate to your new Kobo acount.
Sony also outlines that wishlists will be deleted following the Reader Store closure, meaning you may want to jot them down before June 16. Notes and highlights you’ve made will also not be visible after the transfer to Kobo, but there’s nothing you’ll be able to do about that unless you want to make them again.
For more information, head to the Sony Reader Store closure FAQ.
Read more: Best eReaders 2014
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
