Barnes & Noble is phasing out the black-and-white Nook 3G due to low sales, Engadget reports. Although the Nook lineup has sold millions, and become Barnes and Noble’s best-selling product of all time, the Nook 3G is the least profitable of the bunch.
The Nook 3G uses cellphone networks to connect users with Barnes & Noble’s e-book store and the Internet outside of WiFi areas. The 3G connectivity has no monthly cost, but the product is $50 more than the WiFi-only version. With the rapid spread of WiFi accessibility, perhaps consumers can’t justify the elevated cost of the 3G edition. If the Nook 3G is indeed discontinued, Barnes & Noble would only sell the black-and-white, WiFi-only Nook, and the Nook Color.
According to the report, Barnes & Noble will not receive any new shipments of the Nook 3G’s, but will sell the existing stock until they run out. It is difficult to say what will happen, since Barnes & Noble has yet to confirm the report, but if you’ve had your eye on the Nook 3G, you better grab it before it’s extinct.