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E-reader start-up Plastic Logic has announced that it's scrapping the long heralded QUE business e-reader, after delays to its launch have rendered it obsolete before it's even gone on sale.
"We recognize the market has dramatically changed, and with the product delays we have experienced, it no longer makes sense for us to move forward with our first generation electronic reading product," said Plastic Logic CEO Richard Archuleta. "This was a hard decision, but is the best one for our company, our investors and our customers."
We first saw the QUE proReader when it was officially launched at CES at the start of the year. At the time we thought it was a promising piece of technology, but that it would have to offer a lot if it was to justify a hefty price-tag for a monochrome device. A couple of months later Plastic Logic announced it was delaying shipping the QUE until the summer in order to ‘fine-tune' the product.
The company remains confident that the plastic electronics technology it has pioneered will eventually have a commercial purpose, and so is moving on to a second generation product that will take into account the massive changes to the e-reader and media tablet markets since the start of this year.
"We plan to take the necessary time needed to re-enter the market as we refocus, redesign and retool for our next generation ProReader product," said Archuleta. "We continue to perfect our core plastic electronic technology and manufacturing processes that are central to our product's unique value proposition.
"We remain the industry's leader in the development of plastic electronics technology for commercial purposes and are continuing to actively advance this technology in our labs and in our manufacturing facility.
"We are fortunate to have investors who are confident and committed to our company's long-term success in commercializing plastic electronics. We thank them, along with our partners and suppliers, and most especially our first customers, for their support, dedication and patience - and for standing with us to pioneer the plastic electronics revolution."
