Japan's Rakuten to acquire e-book retailer Kobo

Spun out of Indigo, a book, gift, and specialty toy retailer in December, 2009, Kobo offers e-readers, e-reader apps and an e-book catalog. An acquisition by Rakuten will give Kobo access to Rakuten e-commerce businesses in a number of countries in Asia, Europe, and North America.

Kobo, which claimed over 5 million users worldwide in October, positions its e-reading research as a social platform that allows readers to learn about the life of a book, connect with friends, share their sentiments, and engage in discussions during reading.

Kobo announced in September that its apps for iPhone, iPad, Android devices, and its own e-reader would have tighter Facebook integration, so that users can connect with friends on Facebook and see what books they are reading, see books in common, and ask for recommendations, among other features.