Sony cuts e-reader price to stay on same page as iPad

Sony's e-reader. Photo / Supplied

Sony has cut the prices of its e-readers in the United States for a second time since the advent of Apple's iPad in April intensified competition in the market for devices that can display digital books.

The Japanese consumer-electronics maker lowered its Reader Daily Edition e-reader to US$299 ($432) from US$349 this month and made smaller reductions on two other models, after trimming prices in May, Sony spokesman Sean Yoneda said.

Sony is competing with Amazon.com, the Seattle-based maker of the Kindle e-reader, and No 2 US bookstore chain Barnes and Noble, both of which have cut prices for their devices.

The e-book makers are fending off competition from the iPad, a tablet computer with a colour screen on which users can read digital books, watch videos and surf the internet.

Forrester Research says e-reader sales will probably double this year to 6 million units. It says Kindle has about 60 per cent of the US market, followed by Sony with 35 per cent.

Amazon, the world's largest online retailer, on July 1 introduced an updated version of its larger Kindle with sharper contrast and a lower price than the previous model. Amazon.com said the Kindle DX would sell for US$379, down from US$489.

Sony last month said it would begin selling its e-readers in China, Japan and Australia this year.

- BLOOMBERG