Tolino e-reader

Tolino is a prominent brand in the digital reading space, established in 2013 as a collaborative response by German booksellers and Deutsche Telekom to compete with global e-reader markets. The brand was originally formed through the Tolino Alliance, which included major players like Thalia, Weltbild, Hugendubel, and Mayersche.

Technologically, the platform was initially developed by Deutsche Telekom. However, in 2017, the Canadian-Japanese company Rakuten Kobo acquired the technology platform from Deutsche Telekom, while the German booksellers retained their role in marketing and sales. Today, while the brand maintains its strong German heritage and market presence, the hardware is manufactured in China and the technical ecosystem is managed by Rakuten Kobo, headquartered in Canada.