Txtr Beagle Sells Out Without Carrier Support: Was the Experiment Doomed to Fail?
The Txtr Beagle eBook Reader was supposed to be the major comeback for the content provider in the hardware market after a failed eBook Reader launch in 2010. Txtr introduced a new concept: drastically reduced software and hardware at a subsidized price. Txtr planned to offer the Beagle as an add-on to a mobile contract for just 10 euros. However, a partnership with a mobile carrier never materialized.
Six months after the Beagle’s introduction, the device hit the market in April 2013 at its full price of 60 euros (including a 10 euro voucher). We weren’t the only ones to criticize this overly high price. According to the company, the strong demand from Txtr fans was the reason for the unsubsidized launch. Whether the fans were willing to pay that price remains Txtr’s secret. At the time, the company assured us that negotiations with interested mobile providers were still ongoing.
The End?
The price was slashed to 20 euros a few weeks later. Reportedly, some people bought it out of curiosity at this price. However, this price cut was seen not as a rescue but rather as a clearance, as there was still no mobile carrier partnership.
The suspected end now seems confirmed, as the Txtr Beagle is officially sold out. The device is no longer available on the Txtr website, and the international partner Shop-E-Readers has also removed it from their offerings. UPDATE: I was informed that Shop-E-Readers listed the device but never delivered it.
We are now quickly approaching the Frankfurt Book Fair 2013, which starts on October 9th and will also mark the Beagle’s one-year anniversary. There’s still no sign of the promised mobile partner, and it’s doubtful that Txtr will be able to present one. Recently, the company hasn’t provided any new information about the Beagle, and the sellout happened quietly. On the Txtr homepage, the Beagle is now only visible from afar in a photo, with neither the search results list nor the homepage linking to the Beagle product page anymore. Only a direct link to the page provides information about the device.
