Bookshop.org, the online bookseller that channels revenue toward independent bookstores, says its long-awaited integration with Kobo e-readers is moving forward again and is now expected to arrive later this year.
The update marks a return to the original plan after earlier timing changes pushed the rollout beyond its first target. According to Bookshop.org founder and CEO Andy Hunter, the two companies have now reached business terms and are continuing the engineering work needed to complete the feature.
Hunter noted that the project has required careful coordination to meet publisher expectations around digital rights management, while also balancing internal development priorities. Bookshop.org's mobile app already lets readers buy e-books on iOS and Android, and the Kobo connection would extend that experience to dedicated e-readers.
For Kobo users, the partnership could open a more direct way to support local bookshops while reading on a device designed for long battery life, low glare, and a paper-like display. It would also strengthen Bookshop.org's position as a digital alternative in the independent book market.
Even before the new integration arrives, Kobo readers still have access to DRM-free titles, library borrowing through OverDrive in many cases, and other compatible e-book sources. But the Bookshop.org link is the feature many readers have been waiting for.
If the rollout stays on course, the collaboration could make independent book buying more seamless across e-readers and mobile platforms, shaping a more bookstore-friendly digital reading future.
