China Literature said it would end online services for its Koudaiyu e-book reader , on October 26th, 2022. Users will no longer be able to make any purchases, add titles to their Wishlist or samples. Digital books have already been purchased will remain readable on the device. Tencent now joins Amazon and the Kindle in abandoning the Chinese market, as it is too competitive.
The Koudaiyue e-reader was first launched in 2019 and featured a 5.2-inch 300ppi ultra-clear ink screen and a built-in 20-level adjustable front-lit display for users to read at night. It also doubled as a smartphone, being able to purchase ebooks via a 4G network. However, the proliferation of smartphones, compounded by the rising popularity of short-video apps, has limited the growth potential of specialist electronic reading devices. Tencent itself already operates a stand-alone app, WeRead, which provides subscribers with unlimited access to all titles on its platform for 19 yuan (US$2.7) a month.
Michael Kozlowski is the editor-in-chief at Good e-Reader and has written about audiobooks and e-readers for the past fifteen years. Newspapers and websites such as the CBC, CNET, Engadget, Huffington Post and the New York Times have picked up his articles. He Lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
