Sony using Pottermore to get back into the eReader race?

What does Sony's participation with Pottermore mean for it's (struggling?) ebook lines?  Sony was one of the first to market ebook readers but since then both Amazon and B&N have stepped up to take a greater market-share.  Is Sony seeing this as an opportunity to market Harry Potter ereaders in an attempted to catch up? 


Quote from PC World:

"Sony’s association with J.K. Rowling’s Pottermore brings together one of the world’s most innovative brands with the most successful book series in history, in a pioneering partnership that will help shape the future of story-telling," said Sony CEO and president Howard Stringer, adding "We are proud to be a part of it, both at this momentous announcement, and as we collaborate on its development over the coming years."

Pottermore Goes on the Defense

Retailers aren't happy that J.K. Rowling has decided to sell her Harry Potter e-book franchise separate from the retailers that helped make her successful.  One bookseller, Waterstone's, said:

 "We always sought to add value for the fans when a new Harry Potter book was released and their launch days have become the stuff of legend at Waterstone's and other booksellers.

"We're therefore disappointed that, having been a key factor in the growth of the Harry Potter phenomenon since the first book was published, the book trade is effectively banned from selling the long-awaited e-book editions of the series."

A spokesman for Pottermore replied to the concern saying,


"Pottermore is designed to encourage the reading and re-reading of the Harry Potter books in all formats and editions, both print and digital, to both existing and new generations of readers. We think this will have a positive effect on those selling physical books as well as on sales of digital ones."


 "The decision to make e-books exclusive to the site was to ensure ease of availability across all reading devices and to the widest possible audience and also to support the ultimate intention of the site to be an online reading experience.”


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Harry Potter ebooks - finally.

J.K. Rowling is seeking to extend "the relevance of Harry Potter to new generations of readers, while still appealing to existing fans" by opening a new website called "Pottermore" and selling her ridiculously popular Harry Potter books in e-book format - covering all the bases as it will include Kindle formats.  Along with that she has written new material designed to enhance the story, characters and settings of the original story.


Overdrive, the company which is promenant is library lending, is the providing the platform for the store which will also make the physical books available.


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