Kobo Inc. Explained

Rakuten Kobo Inc.
Type:Subsidiary
Founder:Michael Serbinis
Area Served:
Former Names:Shortcovers (2009)
Kobo Inc. (2009–2016)
Key People:Takahito Aiki (Chairman)
Michael Tamblyn (President and CEO)
Industry:bookselling, consumer electronics
Products:e-books, e-readers, audiobooks, tablet computers, reading applications
Num Employees:~350 (July 2017)[1]
Parent:Rakuten
(2012–present)
Foundation:Toronto, Ontario, Canada [2]
Location City:Toronto, Ontario
Location Country:Canada

Rakuten Kobo Inc., or simply Kobo, is a Canadian company that sells ebooks, audiobooks, e-readers and formerly tablet computers. It is headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and is a subsidiary of the Japanese e-commerce conglomerate Rakuten. The name Kobo is an anagram of book.[3]

History

Kobo originated as Shortcovers, a cloud eReading service launched by the Canadian bookstore chain Indigo Books and Music in February 2009.[4] In December 2009, Indigo renamed the service Kobo and spun it off into an independent company. Indigo remained the majority owner, with investors including Borders Group, Cheung Kong Holdings, and REDgroup Retail taking minority stakes.[5], Indigo Books & Music owned 58% of Kobo Inc.[6] Rakuten acquired the company from these owners in January 2012.[7] [8] On 23 May 2016, Waterstones announced it had sold its eBook business to Rakuten Kobo Inc., and as of 14 June 2016, users were required to access their eBooks via Kobo's eBook site.[9]

During the COVID pandemic, Kobo worked with governments, publishers, and retail partners to provide more than 20 million free books through the “Stay Home and Read” programme. The company reported that romance and mystery novels continued to be bestsellers during the pandemic and that there was a rise in books for kids and young adults.[10]

Products

E-readers

See main article: Kobo eReader. Kobo produces several e-readers with ePaper screens. The first Kobo eReader was introduced in 2010.[11] The product lineup went on to consist of the base model Kobo Touch, the smaller Kobo Mini, and the Kobo Glo, which has an illuminated screen. On the higher end, the Kobo Aura; the Kobo Aura HD, which added a higher-resolution screen, the waterproof Kobo Aura H2O; and the waterproof Kobo Forma which added physical buttons and a choice of orientation.[12] In 2018, the company released the Kobo Clara HD as another 6-inch option (the Aura Edition 2 being the first).[13]

In 2019, the Kobo Libra H2O was released. Kobo partnered with Hotel Viu Milan to create a Reader in Residence program and for a month, the Kobo Libra H2O was placed in hotel rooms for guests to use.[14] In 2020, Kobo introduced the Kobo Nia, an entry-level e-reader to replace the discontinued Kobo Aura.[15] In 2021, Kobo introduced the Kobo Elipsa, an e-reader and smart notebook that allows users to write on the screen.[16]

These eReaders compete with the Amazon Kindle and Barnes & Noble Nook product lines.

Kobo's eReaders use Wi-Fi to sync a user's book collection and bookmarks with Kobo's cloud service, which can also be accessed from Kobo eReading apps for Windows and macOS computers, Android and iOS smartphones.

Tablets

Kobo produced the Kobo Arc family of Android tablets, which it introduced in 2012 and refreshed in 2013. It previously sold the Kobo Vox, a 7-inch Android tablet released in 2011. In 2014, Kobo discontinued the Arc tablets and did not develop another one.[17]

Applications

Kobo offers free reading applications for Windows and MacOS computers and Android and iOS smartphones. In June 2015, Kobo received a Top Developer badge in the Google Play store.[18] In 2017, Kobo acquired Shelfie, an app that organises personal libraries.[19]

Kobo Plus Subscription Service

Kobo Plus is the company’s unlimited audiobook and eBook subscription service.[20] It was first released in the Netherlands and Belgium in 2017 and then expanded to Canada in 2020.[21] In 2021, Kobo signed an agreement with LeYa, a Portuguese publishing group, and launched Kobo Plus e_LeYa, which made exclusive content available in Portugal.

As of May 2021, Kobo Plus offered 599,000 eBooks and 94,000 audiobooks. Books are available in many languages. Readers can choose to subscribe to only eBooks or to expand the service with Kobo Plus Listening, which includes audiobooks.[22]

Store and publishing

Kobo's bookstore was opened in 2009.[23] Content sold on the Kobo Bookstore includes eBooks, Audiobooks, newspapers, and magazines. The majority of titles are sold in the open ePub format, albeit with Digital rights management.[24]

Several digital bookstores have closed down and transferred their users to Kobo's bookstore. They include the defunct Borders Group,[25] as well as the Sony Reader Store.[26] Both have provided tools for users to migrate purchases and information to Kobo's offering.

On 17 July 2012, Kobo launched a self-publishing platform called Kobo Writing Life (KWL).[27] Key features of Kobo Writing Life include "deep analytics", allowing authors to track sales in real-time; a "learning centre" to guide newcomers in digital publishing; and allowing an author to sell books globally.[28]

In 2019, KWL began offering self-publishing opportunities for Audiobooks.[29]

Emerging Writer Prize

The Kobo Emerging Writer Prize awards three first-time Canadian authors with CAD 10,000 each.[30] The awards are given in three categories, Literary Fiction, Nonfiction, and Genre Fiction, with the genre selection changing each year.[31] Traditionally published, and self-published books are eligible, and authors receive marketing and communications support during their winning year.[32]

In 2021, the award’s seventh year, the winning authors were: Michelle Good, author of Five Little Indians (Fiction); Eternity Martis, author of They Said This Would Be Fun (Nonfiction); and Emily Hepditch, author of The Woman in the Attic (Mystery).[33]

At the same time as the Libra 2, the Kobo Sage was also introduced as a new top model. It has an 8" E-Ink Carta 1200 display with a resolution of 1440 × 1920 pixels and 32 GB internal memory. A Bluetooth module and a USB-C port have also been installed. In addition, as with the Elipsa, it is possible to capture notes on the device with a stylus.[34]

Sales and market share

Kobo sells its devices online and through physical retail channels. The company's strategic partnerships have included Cheung Kong Holdings,[35] WHSmith,[36] Whitcoulls,[37] FNAC,[38] Livraria Cultura,[39] and Eslite Bookstore.[40] Kobo partnered with Australian online bookseller Booktopia[41] and also has a programme partnering with independent bookstores to sell their devices.[42]

In 2012, Wired named Kobo as the "only global competitor to Amazon [in the eBook market]"[43] with over 20 % of the worldwide market.[44]

Kobo Inc. released eBook reading data collected from over 21 million readers worldwide in 2014. Some of the data said that only 45 % of UK readers finished the bestselling eBook The Goldfinch.[45]

As of August 2018, Amazon's Kindle eReader had an 83.6% share of the U.S. eReader market while Kobo had a 13.4 % share.[46]

Venture with Walmart

In 2018, the company and Walmart contracted to allow the latter to sell Kobo audiobooks, eBooks and eReaders in the U.S. This was the first venture into eBooks for the retailer which also began selling the Kobo eReaders.[47] Walmart installed eReader stations in over 1,000 stores. Their eBook Web site was listing over 6 million titles. The retailer also began to offer subscriptions for audiobooks at a monthly fee.[48]

Venture with Bol.com

In the Netherlands, Bol.com is contracted to sell Kobo audiobooks, eBooks and eReaders.[49]

Notes and References

  1. News: Israelson . David . Why Kobo didn't focus only on the U.S., home turf of Amazon . The Globe and Mail . 4 July 2017 . 17 January 2019 . 19 September 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190919095702/https://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/why-kobo-didnt-focus-only-on-the-us-home-turf-ofamazon/article35539935/ . live .
  2. News: New chapter for Kobo as firm sold to Japan's Rakuten. Hartley. Matt. 8 November 2011. Financial Post. 8 November 2011. 9 November 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20111109155721/http://business.financialpost.com/2011/11/08/new-chapter-for-kobo-as-firm-sold-to-japans-rakuten/. live.
  3. Web site: World, Meet Kobo!. 15 December 2009. 12 July 2014. Kobo Café. https://web.archive.org/web/20150622071737/http://cafe.kobo.com/blog/world-meet-kobo-1686081. 22 June 2015. dead.
  4. Web site: Indigo Unveils Shortcovers, New E-Reading Platform. Andriani. Lynn. 9 February 2009. Publishers Weekly. 2 November 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20120309051302/http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/print/20090209/4798-indigo-unveils-shortcovers-new-e-reading-platform-.html. 9 March 2012. live.
  5. Web site: Kobo spins off from Indigo, partners with Borders. Woods. Stuart. 15 December 2009. Quill & Quire. 2 November 2011. 6 August 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200806014754/https://quillandquire.com/book-news/2009/12/15/kobo-spins-off-from-indigo-partners-with-borders/. live.
  6. .
  7. Web site: E-reader maker Kobo Inc. says its sales to Japan's Rakuten has closed. 11 January 2012. Canadian Business. 11 January 2012. Toronto. https://archive.today/20120111220154/http://www.canadianbusiness.com/article/65481--e-reader-maker-kobo-inc-says-its-sales-to-japan-s-rakuten-has-closed. 11 January 2012. dead.
  8. Web site: Rakuten Completes Acquisition of Kobo. 12 January 2012. Tech Finance. 13 January 2012. Toronto. https://archive.today/20120714103405/http://news.techfinance.ca/rakuten-completes-acquisition-of-kobo/. 14 July 2012. dead.
  9. Web site: Seenit.co.uk. Waterstones quits ebooks, hands business to Kobo. 23 May 2016. Staff. 23 May 2016. 12 October 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161012044719/http://www.seenit.co.uk/waterstones-quits-ebooks-hands-business-to-kobo/. live.
  10. Web site: Bhatt. Neerav. 2021-07-14. Covid accelerates growth for Kobo eBooks and Audible Audiobooks. 2021-09-10. Ausdroid. en-AU. 3 September 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210903151427/https://ausdroid.net/2021/07/14/kobo-ebooks-and-audible-audiobooks-experience-surge-of-popularity-since-covid/. live.
  11. Web site: Kozlowski. Michael. 2014-05-26. The Evolution of the Kobo eReader – In Pictures. 2021-08-11. Good e-Reader. en-US. 11 August 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210811192609/https://goodereader.com/blog/electronic-readers/the-evolution-of-the-kobo-e-reader-in-pictures. live.
  12. Web site: Kobo Elipsa Review. 2021-09-10. PCMAG. en. 10 September 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210910131054/https://www.pcmag.com/reviews/kobo-elipsa. live.
  13. Web site: Byford. Sam. 2018-05-29. Kobo announces new 6-inch e-reader with sharper screen. 2021-09-10. The Verge. en. 10 September 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210910131053/https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2018/5/29/17404294/kobo-clara-hd-announced-price-specs-release. live.
  14. Web site: 2019-09-15. Kobo Libra H2O: un nuovo eReader da 7" leggero ed impermeabile. 2021-09-24. Techprincess. it-IT. 24 September 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210924144617/https://techprincess.it/kobo-libra-h2o-un-nuovo-ereader-da-7-leggero-ed-impermeabile/. live.
  15. Web site: Sarkar. Sharmishta. 2020-07-15. Kobo Nia takes on Amazon's entry-level Kindle with a sharper screen. 2021-09-24. TechRadar. en. 24 September 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210924150024/https://www.techradar.com/news/kobo-nia-takes-on-amazons-entry-level-kindle-with-a-sharper-screen. live.
  16. Web site: Biggs. Tim. 2021-06-01. Kobo's latest Kindle competitor is a huge e-reader and a smart notepad. 2021-07-16. The Sydney Morning Herald. en. 16 July 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210716175215/https://www.smh.com.au/technology/kobo-s-latest-kindle-competitor-is-a-huge-e-reader-and-a-smart-notepad-20210526-p57vao.html. live.
  17. Web site: Kobo: tablets 'no longer a focus' The Bookseller. 2021-09-17. www.thebookseller.com. 17 September 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210917154434/https://www.thebookseller.com/news/kobo-tablets-no-longer-focus. live.
  18. Web site: Kobo Books – Android Apps on Google Play. 10 July 2015. 15 July 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150715003049/https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.kobobooks.android. live.
  19. Web site: Kobo has acquired Shelfie, an app that allows readers to buy discounted ebooks . 9 April 2017 . 27 February 2018 . 27 February 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180227153848/https://www.theverge.com/2017/4/9/15235686/kobo-acquired-shelfie-app-readers-discounted-ebooks . live .
  20. Web site: Kozlowski. Michael. 2021-05-15. Kobo Plus Now Available in Portugal. 2021-07-28. Good e-Reader. en-US. 28 July 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210728144918/https://goodereader.com/blog/kobo-ereader-news/kobo-plus-launches-in-portugal. live.
  21. Web site: Kozlowski. Michael. 2020-07-15. Kobo Unlimited subscription system has launched in Canada. 2021-07-28. Good e-Reader. en-US. 28 July 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210728144922/https://goodereader.com/blog/e-book-news/kobo-unlimited-subscription-system-has-launched-in-canada. live.
  22. Web site: lezen. 2021-04-20. Lezen on demand: hoe werkt Kobo Plus?. 2021-08-18. TechGirl. nl.
  23. News: How e-reading company Kobo is fighting Amazon, Apple and Google for your time. 2021-07-07. Financial Post. 26 November 2019. en-CA. Bitti. Mary Teresa. 9 July 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210709184502/https://financialpost.com/entrepreneur/fp-startups/how-e-reading-company-kobo-is-fighting-amazon-apple-and-google-for-your-time. live.
  24. Web site: The Global E-book Market: Current conditions and future projections. Sabine Kaldonek. Rüdiger Wischenbart. 2011. 26 May 2017. 12 February 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210212011336/https://www.publishersweekly.com/binary-data/ARTICLE_ATTACHMENT/file/000/000/522-1.pdf. live.
  25. Web site: Kobo trying to untangle itelf from Borders mess. Carnoy. David. 20 July 2011. CNET. 2 November 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20111214054527/http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-20080984-93/kobo-trying-to-untangle-itelf-from-borders-mess/. live. 14 December 2011.
  26. Web site: Sony Corporation of America Press Releases . 23 April 2014 . 1 May 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140501220707/http://blog.sony.com/2014/02/the-future-of-reader-store/ . live .
  27. Web site: Kobo Launches the Writing Life Self-Publishing Platform. Kozlowski. Michael. 18 July 2012. Good eReader. 12 September 2012. 21 July 2012. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20120721055752/http://goodereader.com/blog/electronic-readers/kobo-launches-the-writing-life-self-publishing-platform/.
  28. Web site: Kobo Writing Life – Reviewed. 16 July 2021. 16 July 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210716180720/http://www.theindependentpublishingmagazine.com/2014/06/kobo-writing-life-reviewed.html. live.
  29. Web site: 2019-09-26. Self-published authors can now upload their audiobooks direct to Kobo via Kobo Writing Life. 2021-07-16. The New Publishing Standard. en-US. 16 July 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210716175217/https://dev.thenewpublishingstandard.com/2019/09/27/self-published-authors-can-now-upload-their-audiobooks-direct-to-kobo-via-kobo-writing-life/. dead.
  30. Web site: Packer. Roger. 2021-05-11. Shortlist selected for $30,000 Kobo Emerging Writer Prize. 2021-08-25. Roger Packer. en-US. 25 August 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210825145119/https://rogerpacker.com/shortlist-selected-for-30000-kobo-emerging-writer-prize/. live.
  31. Web site: 2021-05-04. Hunger Moon a finalist for the Rakuten Kobo Emerging Writer Prize. 2021-08-25. Read Alberta. en. 5 May 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210505141410/https://readalberta.ca/articles/hunger-moon-a-finalist-for-the-rakuten-kobo-emerging-writer-prize/. live.
  32. Web site: Kobo Emerging Writer Prize Now Accepting Submissions - Canadian Reviewer - Reviews, News and Opinion with a Canadian Perspective. 2021-08-25. www.canadianreviewer.com. en. 25 August 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210825145113/https://www.canadianreviewer.com/cr/2017/1/25/kobo-emerging-writer-prize-now-accepting-submissions.html. live.
  33. Web site: 2021-06-22. Michelle Good, Eternity Martis win Kobo Emerging Writer Prize. 2021-08-27. Quill and Quire. en. 27 August 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210827143922/https://quillandquire.com/omni/michelle-good-eternity-martis-win-kobo-emerging-writer-prize/. live.
  34. Web site: Coldewey . Devin . 2021-10-05 . Kobo refreshes e-reader line with Sage and Libra 2, adding Bluetooth and stylus support . 2022-10-01 . TechCrunch . en-US . 1 October 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221001113607/https://techcrunch.com/2021/10/04/kobo-refreshes-e-reader-line-with-sage-and-libra-2-adding-bluetooth-and-stylus-support/ . live .
  35. Web site: Indigo Maintains Majority Ownership As Kobo Closes $50 Million Investment Round. 19 April 2011. CNW Group. 2 November 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20120509190834/http://cnw.ca/en/story/732161/indigo-maintains-majority-ownership-as-kobo-closes-50-million-investment-round. 9 May 2012. dead.
  36. Web site: More detail on the W H Smith Kobo deal. Jones. Phillip. 21 October 2011. Future Book. 2 November 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20111023184901/http://www.futurebook.net/content/more-detail-w-h-smith-kobo-deal. 23 October 2011. dead.
  37. Web site: Whitcoulls of New Zealand to launch ebooks – Kobo is branching out. Biba. Paul. 26 April 2010. TeleRead. 2 November 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20120823101602/http://www.teleread.com/paul-biba/whitcoulls-of-new-zealand-to-launch-ebooks-kobo-is-branching-out/. 23 August 2012. dead.
  38. Web site: Kobo continues global expansion. Kobo Inc.. 2 November 2011. 11 October 2011. 24 October 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20111024011459/http://blog.kobobooks.com/kobo-continues-global-expansion-partners-with-fnac-1-book-retailer-in-france/. live.
  39. Web site: Kobo partners with Livraria Cultura to sell e-readers in Brazil. PaidContent.org. 17 May 2013. 15 September 2012. 16 December 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20131216174135/http://paidcontent.org/2012/09/15/kobo-partners-with-livraria-cultura-to-sell-e-readers-in-brazil/. dead.
  40. Web site: 楊安琪 . 繁中電子書閱讀器拉抬業績！樂天 Kobo 再增禮物卡、中文有聲書服務 . 3C 新報 . 2020-07-24 . 24 January 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210124120718/https://ccc.technews.tw/2019/12/10/rakuten-kobo-ebook-service-2019-report-and-new-services/ . live .
  41. Web site: Bhatt. Neerav. 2021-07-14. Covid accelerates growth for Kobo eBooks and Audible Audiobooks. 2021-09-03. Ausdroid. en-AU. 3 September 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210903151427/https://ausdroid.net/2021/07/14/kobo-ebooks-and-audible-audiobooks-experience-surge-of-popularity-since-covid/. live.
  42. Web site: Hamlet. Isaac. 4 ways to support your local bookstore as the pandemic drags on. 2021-09-03. Iowa City Press-Citizen. en-US.
  43. Why Rakuten's Kobo Is Amazon's Only Global Competition. 24 January 2012. 12 July 2014. Wired. Condé Nast. Carmody. Tim. 14 July 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140714165134/http://www.wired.com/2012/01/kobo-amazons-only-global-competition/. live.
  44. Web site: Digitimes Research: 4.57 million e-book readers to be shipped globally in 4Q12. 14 November 2014. 12 July 2014. DIGITIMES Research. DIGITIMES Inc.. Hsiao. Jim. 28 April 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150428040205/http://www.digitimes.com/news/a20121114VL200.html?chid=2. live.
  45. News: Ebooks can tell which novels you didn't finish. The Guardian. 10 December 2014. 12 December 2016. 12 October 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161012044734/https://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/dec/10/kobo-survey-books-readers-finish-donna-tartt. live.
  46. News: Why Walmart Is Pushing into E-Books, A Business on the Decline. forbes.com. 23 June 2019. 23 June 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190623010649/https://www.forbes.com/sites/andriacheng/2018/08/22/walmart-introduces-ebooks-in-its-latest-loud-display-of-intense-fight-against-amazon/. live.
  47. Web site: Exclusive: Here is everything you need to know about Kobo at Walmart in the US. good e-reader.com. 21 August 2018. 23 June 2019. 23 June 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190623005722/https://goodereader.com/blog/electronic-readers/here-is-everything-you-need-to-know-about-kobo-at-walmart-in-the-us. live.
  48. Web site: Walmart and Kobo Launch An Online E-book and Audiobook Store . techcrunch.com . 22 August 2018 . 23 June 2019 . 23 June 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190623005721/https://techcrunch.com/2018/08/22/walmart-and-kobo-launch-walmart-ebooks-an-online-e-book-and-audiobook-store/ . live .
  49. Web site: Kobo Plus . 10 February 2023 . 13 February 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230213102757/https://www.bol.com/nl/nl/m/kobo-plus/ . live .

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Kobo Inc.".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.