Microsoft has been spending around a lot of cash to gear up multiple services for its upcoming OS, Windows 8. Given the fact that Windows 8 has been specifically tweaked to run on mobile devices such as tablets and machines with touchscreens, it is no wonder that Microsoft has poured in a major stake into a new partnership with Nook, apparently to bolster support for Windows 8 digital reading apps.
The company chipped in with a massive $300 million for a subsidiary of Barnes & Noble. That sum puts Microsoft’s equity stake at a 17.6% which is highly significant. The subsidiary has now been termed ‘Nook media’, and according to Microsoft, it will be “a leader in developing the next generation of digital reading.”
Microsoft’s president Andy Lees further said, “We look forward to the company bringing one of the world’s largest digital libraries to Windows 8 devices via their upcoming Windows 8 app.”
The plan is that both Microsoft and Barnes & Noble will collaborate to create the latest tools in the arena of digital reading, most of them meant to bolster the experience of digital reading on Windows 8 machines.
According to the CEO of Barnes & Noble, “As demand for digital content continues to increase, we are focused on bringing ground-breaking reading and learning content and technologies to more people in more formats than ever before, including the imminent launch of our exceptional NOOK reading application for Windows 8. We look forward to working closely with our new partner Microsoft to add value to their innovative new platform by bringing great reading experiences and one of the world’s preeminent digital bookstores to millions of Windows 8 users.”
Courtesy: BGR
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