Is this too bold a prediction? You might think so until you look at the stats. According to Forrester Research, eBook sales were up almost 200 percent in 2009 and in 2010 they’re expected to top $500 million in the U.S. alone. This July, Amazon announced that 180 digital books were flying off its shelves for every 100 hardcovers. While Mike Shatzkin, CEO of the Idea Logical Company, which advises book publishers on digital change, predicts that within a decade, fewer than 25 percent of all books sold will be print versions. But how can we be so sure that those digital books will be read on smartphones?
Screens are getting bigger and better
One thing that has stopped people reading on their smartphone has been the size and quality of the screen. But displays are getting more reader friendly all the time. Take the Nokia N8 with its 3.5 inch display made from scratch resistant glass. Or the E7, with its 4 inch Clear Black Display. With every new innovation reading text becomes easier on the eye.
Reading on the go
Your smartphone might not be the best reading device, but when you’re waiting for a bus or stuck in a traffic jam, it’s a heck of a lot better than nothing. And rather than lug another gadget around like an e-Reader, why not rely on something that fits snugly in your pocket? Books have always been great portable entertainment. Smartphones take that one step further.
A library in your pocket
There are some fantastic mobile apps for bookworms, giving you access to hundreds of thousands of titles, which are available from various places. eReader, for example, is the ‘world’s largest eBook store’ with dozens of different genres available. Wattpad not only gives you access to great writing but great writers too, enabling readers and authors to connect with each other.
The cheapest way to read
Dedicated e-Readers are getting cheaper all the time, but they’re still a hefty investment for anyone other than the most avid reader. You don’t buy a smartphone to read books, but it does the job so why not make the most of it? Add to this the fact that ebooks are up to 50% cheaper than hardcovers and the savings really start to add up.
Go digital or die
Printed books have been around for more than 500 years, and despite radio, TV and the Internet, they’re yet to be consigned to the cassette tape bin of history. But the publishing industry is changing. More and more authors are bypassing publishers altogether. Best selling authors like Seth Godin are giving up on traditional publishing. It’s easy to see why. Ebooks are cheaper to produce, easier to distribute and more profitable for authors. Smaller publishers are either having to rely on charity or disappearing completely. To thrive in the future, publishers will have no choice but to go digital.
Are you convinced? Can you imagine a future where you’ll read the latest bestseller on your Nokia Nseries? And if not, why not?
No comments:
Post a Comment