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Pocketbook & Netronix have broken up

Yesterday I mentioned that Netronix and Pocketbook were both here at CES. I was a little surprised because one of the important stories from last CES was that the 2 companies had merged. As I understood it, Pocketbook & Netronix were going to contribute their ereader divisions (they do other things, too) to a new company and share ownership. I don’t know how they were planning to split it, but I do know that all the ereader stuff was going to be carried on under the name Pocketbook Global.

I now have confirmation from a contact with Pocketbook. The companies did indeed split up. They’re still partners in that Pocketbook currently license several Netronix designs, but they’re not one company anymore.

I was told that the reason for the split was quality control issues. I don’t think this had to do with production , but design. I believe Foxconn do the actual mass production – once the bugs are worked out of the design. So I would guess that Netronix were having trouble working the bugs out.

TBH, we really should have figured this out a while ago.Do you recall when Pocketbook announced the 60x and 90x ereaders? Those ereaders were designed by Foxconn, not Netronix. The fact that Pocketbook went outside the company for the new designs probably should have been a tip off.

Then again, maybe not. Companies change their minds all the time.

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Comments


igorsk January 12, 2011 um 11:57 am

This was known since the German fair back in September(?) (where Foxconn devices where announced), they already had separate booths.

Nate the great January 12, 2011 um 12:39 pm

Well, no one told me about the separate booths.

But yes, that should have been a clue.


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