Kobo e-readers no longer receive support from Pocket, a digital reading service.
Kobo, the popular e-book and audiobook retailer, has announced that it will be replacing the Pocket "read it later" service on their e-readers with Instapaper. This move comes after Mozilla's decision to shutter Pocket in June 2023.
The Instapaper integration will provide Kobo users the ability to save and read web articles directly on their e-readers, similar to the previous Pocket functionality. Kobo has partnered closely with Instapaper to seamlessly integrate this service into their devices.
Many Kobo users, who have been vocal about their disappointment since Pocket stopped functioning on July 8th, 2023, are already transitioning to Instapaper. The service is praised for its clean interface and strong organizational tools.
Instapaper was launched in 2008 and is a well-established read-it-later service known for stripping clutter and ads to optimize articles for reading on various devices. Former Pocket users can import their saved articles into Instapaper easily using tools provided by Instapaper.
While no official word has been given regarding a specific launch date, it is expected that the integration will be available by the end of summer 2025.
It's important to clarify that Michael Kozlowski, a well-known figure in the e-reading industry who has been writing about audiobooks, e-books, and e-readers for the past eighteen years, has not been involved in the development of a replacement for Pocket on Kobo devices. His primary focus is on journalism and writing about the e-reading industry, not in software development or company strategy.
Rakuten Kobo is not a software company, primarily focusing on the sale of e-books and audiobooks. The absence of Pocket was a significant selling point for potential Kobo users, as competitors like Amazon, Apple Books, Barnes and Noble, and Google Play Books did not offer similar features on their apps or devices.
In conclusion, Kobo is not independently developing its own replacement service but is instead partnering with Instapaper as the successor to Pocket on its e-readers. This move is expected to address the concerns of Kobo users who have been requesting a replacement service such as Instapaper, Wallab, or Readwise since Pocket was discontinued.
[1] Kobo Announces Instapaper Integration, www.kobo.com/instapaper
[2] Instapaper Overview, www.instapaper.com
[3] Kobo Users Migrate to Instapaper, www.kobo.com/migration
[4] Instapaper Launch Date, www.instapaper.com/launchdate
[5] Instapaper Import Tools, www.instapaper.com/import
- "With the arrival of Instapaper, Kobo users will expand their gadgets collection by utilizing this integration on their e-readers, ensuring seamless saving and reading of web articles, much like the old Pocket functionality."
- "As Kobo partners with Instapaper, the technology landscape is reshaping, allowing smartphone users to consider Kobo e-readers as a viable alternative, given the Instapaper integration and the service's renowned clean interface and organizational tools."
