Kobo Clara BW Unavailable in the US: Is It Being Phased Out?

It looks like the Kobo Clara BW might be on its way out—at least in the U.S. For weeks now, it’s been completely unavailable for purchase, and its absence from Amazon’s listings suggests more than just a temporary supply issue.

While it’s still in stock in Canada, UK and on Amazon.de, its prolonged unavailability in the U.S. is starting to raise suspicions. Kobo has a history of unexpectedly discontinuing models, like the Kobo Mini and Aura One, so it wouldn’t be entirely surprising if they were phasing out the Clara BW in favor of the more expensive Clara Colour.

Sales data might back up this shift, too. On Kobo’s website, the Clara Colour has received significantly more reviews than the Clara BW, possibly indicating stronger sales. If the color model is selling better and carries a higher price tag, Kobo might see it as the more profitable option.

It’s still possible this is just a temporary stock issue, and the Clara BW will return. But given Kobo’s past decisions and the growing emphasis on color E Ink models, there’s a real chance they could be moving away from black-and-white e-readers—at least for the Clara line.

Source: Has Kobo Already Discontinued the Kobo Clara BW?