Barnes & Noble announces partnership with Samsung for a new NOOK Tablet

Today, Barnes & Noble announced a new two year partnership with Samsung. The companies announced that they will launch a co-branded tablet known as the Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 Nook in August. The tablet will feature Samsung’s hardware and customized Nook software with a 7-inch display.

Most likely, this partnership will end Barnes & Noble’s venture into hardware design and save the company millions over the partnership. Barnes & Noble will continue to offer their backlit e-ink e-reader, Nook GlowLight.

Barnes & Noble has been reducing its investments in the Nook unit after earlier tablet models did not connect with consumers, struggling to compete with Amazon’s Kindle and Apple’s iPad.

Barnes & Noble says these tablets will be “prominently displayed” at the bookseller’s 700 U.S. stores.

Last year, Barnes & Noble announced their intention to outsource tablet designs to third parties. They would backtrack on this decision a couple months later.