Got an excited email this morning from a very low rent corporate finance house with news that the UK M&A market was opening citing E-Ink’s acquistion by PVI as irrefutable evidence. Unlikely that this analysis will win many customers.
As E Ink, US based, has had over $ 150 million of investment, and the company was sold for $ 215 million it might be a stretch to think that investors will get their confidence back overnight so it may be a little early to think that this transaction benchmarks the bottom.
Meanwhile, seems the business press cannot work out whether this will mean cheaper Kindles (Forbes) or more expensive e-readers (Wall Street Journal).
The sales guy in the latest Plastic Logic reader demo video says it uses eInk, which was news to me (and may simply be wrong).
Meanwhile the product itself is looking increasingly under-functional compared with Kindle: weird screen refresh artifacts, no colour in sight etc.
Roll on the Plastic Logic reader, but when? In tghe meantime why does everyone seem to think the Kindle’s the only ereader there is? If you want a reader and don’t need keyboard functions what about the Sony PRS ereader? I wouldn’t get rid of mine for a Kindle. The footprint’s better and the whole thing is pretty damn good for a 1st generation device. Better styling too!
PVI has started to look hard into flexible electronic display technology since 2005 after its first acquisition of Philips flexible display manufacturing processes. In 2007, it bought 75% of stake in Korean Hydis and 100% in E-INK in June 2009. It is hoping with its going forward business plan for entering the electronic paper market could win the company a top place in the display manufacturing. At the moment, the company is still considered as a second tier LCD manufacturer and hopefully the table will turn after a series of strategic acquisitions. I believe the move for a Taiwanese firm to consolidate e-reader supply chain will raise the profile of Plastic Logic and Sony etc as AU Optronics will now think very hard what to do next in order to stay comfortably as a number 1 display supplier. A space to watch carefully!