The Threat of ebooks Continues
After Amazon announced on Christmas Day that they sold more ebooks than paper books, they are set to release the bigger and better Kindle DX later this month. So I decided to find out if this electronic development really is as much of a threat as it appears to be. Well for a start, call me cynical, but Christmas Day isn’t what I’d call a popular day for shopping. However, if you are lucky enough to have received a Kindle in your stocking, you will be keen to buy an ebook to test it out.
If you are not aware of what a Kindle is, don’t worry, you’re not alone. After Sony’s e-Reader made a tiny dent in the market, Amazon tried to go one better, releasing the Kindle in 2006 which can hold up to 200 ebooks, other digital media and an entire dictionary. The new Kindle DX, which has already been released in America has a larger capacity and is targeted towards readers of newspapers, magazines and other documents.
If you’re someone who loves to curl up in front of the fire to re-read your favourite scene, or sneak a few pages of the opening chapter on the bus, tell me, would you give up your favourite floppy eared paperback for an ebook? I didn’t think so. Personally after a few readings, I think I’d go back to my old faithful. Michael Smith, head of the International Digital Publishing Forum agrees, “ebooks are a growing niche now, but I certainly don’t see a time when everyone will be reading them. People just love what the traditional book represents to them.”
After an unsuccessful start with sales figures, Amazon’s perseverance has paid off, with sales continuing to rise over the years. However, there is one major problem; even though Amazon have announced a rise in sales, they have not yet released any figures. Therefore, implying that sales cannot be so outstanding that us bookworms need to worry just yet.
With Amazon’s clever phrasing implying that the Kindle is everywhere, they are actually shooting themselves in the foot. With all the hype and build up that ebooks are having such success, a writer or publisher who is expecting great sales from their ebook would be disappointed if the actual figures dispute the media hype, resulting in them being reluctant to enter the market again.
Amazon director Ian Freed remains positive; “If you were a reporter 700 years ago, you would have said the scroll will never disappear because it is a good technology. Then someone came along with the physical book and it changed everything. I think the same thing is happening here. The only question is does it take three years, five years or 20 years?”
I think we are safe that ebooks won’t take over just yet, but if that dreaded day comes, just think about the free shelf space you’ll have!
