Toronto, ON - October 2, 2018 - The future of reading takes shape starting today, as Rakuten Kobo announces Kobo Forma—the largest and lightest 8” display eReader, offering the utmost in reading comfort. This premium device was built for ravenous readers who have come to expect the choice of landscape or portrait orientation, waterproof reliability, an innovative lightweight design, and the perfect alternative to bulky print books.
Kobo’s team of designers and developers set out to create a device with the most ergonomic design, enabling hours of comfortable reading. Kobo Forma’s lightweight format boasts new page-turn buttons for those who like a tactile way to move through their story, with the ability to read in landscape or portrait mode on its durable 8” HD Carta E Ink screen. ComfortLight PRO offers the best light at any time of day, and waterproofing means you can soak up a story anywhere, whether it’s in bed, at the beach or in the bath.
What’s more, Kobo Forma is the most durable eReader available with the introduction of Mobius® technology, which uses a flexible plastic layer within its display. This allows for an ultra-thin and lightweight device that provides a high degree of durability to withstand the pressures of daily use. Through impact testing, Kobo Forma has been shown to withstand drops of more than 2 meters, as well as more bends, twists, full handbags, and overloaded backpacks than any previous eReader.
“Our top customers spend an average of three hours per day on our eReaders. In fact, tens of thousands of our top customers read 7 to 8 hours per day, and that is exactly why we continue to innovate to make our devices beautiful and comfortable for full-time readers. These booklovers put reading ahead of all other forms of entertainment, and with Kobo Forma, they can comfortably read for as many hours as they desire. It’s the latest big step in our quest for the perfect reading device,” said Michael Tamblyn, CEO, Rakuten Kobo.
“Kobo’s team of reading scientists and designers worked relentlessly to perfect the most comfortable digital reading experience for booklovers. We investigated what readers want in an eReader and focused on its weight, shape, size, and materials to ensure Kobo Forma feels perfect in their hands,” said Ramesh Mantha, VP, Product, Devices.
Kobo Forma, with 8GB of storage, will be available in black and will retail for $299.99 CAD, $279.99 USD, 279.99 Euro and 239.99 GBP (MSRP) at select retailers and at www.kobo.com. Pre-orders begin October 16, and as of October 23, Kobo Forma will be available in stores and online in Canada, the US, the UK, Italy, the Netherlands, France, Japan, and Spain; and as of October 30 in Australia, New Zealand, Switzerland, Sweden, and Turkey; early 2019 in Mexico. Kobo Forma with 32GB of storage will be available in Japan from October 23 and in other countries at a later date.
Get to know the new Kobo Forma
Discover a radical new look for Kobo eReaders
With a new and ergonomic curved design that is lightweight enough to hold for hours at any angle, Kobo Forma is our most comfortable eReader yet.
Push the limits of your reading experience
Try Kobo Forma’s new page-turn buttons or touch the screen, it’s up to you. Read in portrait or landscape mode, or set the text to change orientation automatically depending how you hold your eReader. And with a storage capacity of 8GB, readers can store up to 6,000 eBooks.
Embrace lightweight durability
Kobo Forma immerses you in your reading more than ever before, with cutting-edge Mobius® display technology that allows the sturdy 8” HD Carta E Ink screen to feel lighter than air—while still providing a superior, print-quality reading experience. At 197g, it is almost 15% lighter than Kobo Aura ONE.
Dive into a story absolutely anywhere
No need to worry about waterlogged pages—Kobo Forma is fully waterproof from the inside out with HZO Protection™ and safe for the beach, the pool, or a soak in the tub.* Simply wipe it dry with a cloth to get back to your reading.
*Meets requirements of IPX8 rating. Waterproof for up to 60 minutes in up to 2 metres of water.
Enlighten your reading with ComfortLightPRO
Kobo Forma’s adjustable front-light is easy on your eyes. It gradually reduces the blue-light exposure that keeps you alert throughout the day, so you can read before bed, then get right to sleep. Set the brightness by swiping up or down on your screen.
Shift into OverDrive with integrated eBook borrowing
Borrow books without having to leave home by connecting to your local public library right from Kobo Forma with built-in OverDrive.* All you need is an active library card. Search for the eBooks you want and choose to borrow or buy — it’s that simple.
*Dependent on library participation, available through most public libraries in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand. eBook availability will vary based on library.
Stay in sync no matter where you read
Easily switch between devices and extend your reading experience with the free Kobo App for your smartphone or tablet—perfect for those moments when you’d like to read, but don’t have your eReader handy. We’ll always remember where you left off, so you’ll never lose your place.
Accessories
The versatile Kobo Forma SleepCover allows for both hand-held and hands-free reading. Flip the front cover into a stand, and enjoy reading in either portrait or landscape mode. Kobo Forma automatically wakes up when you open the cover, and goes back to sleep when you close it. Available in Black and Plum.
Buy the new device here
Device photos and specs can be found here
About Rakuten Kobo Inc.
Owned by Tokyo-based Rakuten and headquartered in Toronto, Rakuten Kobo Inc. is one of the world’s most innovative eReading services offering more than 6 million eBooks and audiobooks to millions of customers in 190 countries. Believing that consumers should have the freedom to read any book on any device, Kobo provides people with a choice when reading. Kobo offers an eReader for everyone with a wide variety of E Ink eReaders to suit any Reader’s style including the Kobo Clara HD, Kobo Aura, Kobo Aura H2O, Kobo Aura ONE and Kobo Forma; along with the company’s free top-ranking eReading and audiobook listening app for iOS® and Android®. Kobo’s award-winning eReaders can be found in major retail chains around the world. For more information, visit www.kobo.com.