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Intense Competition Predicted For E-Book Readers
There are currently a large number of manufacturers competing in the relatively, but exponentially expanding, e-book reader market. The high competition level is a strong signal that high growth can be expected in this sector. Consumers can expect to benefit from the high level of competition as manufacturers compete to offer higher specifications and lower prices.
The list of major players who have e-book readers in various stages of development - and in some cases, ready for imminent release - is impressive. Plastic Logic, Barnes and Noble, Sony, Asus, iRex, - don't forget Microsoft and Apple (as if) - are all lined up and jostling for their fair share of the market.
There's not much doubt about the market leader at the moment. Amazon's Kindle reader has not just dominated the market, but has played an instrumental part in its development since its release in November 2007. It's now in its second generation with the Kindle 2 and the large display Kindle DX, and Amazon has achieved a 60% share of the US e-book reader market. The Kindle is now their top selling product and, on October 19 this year, after a long wait, Amazon started to ship the international Kindle 2 to more than 100 countries globally. In a way, it's a backhanded compliment to Amazon that every new e-book reader under development (and there's no shortage of these, the above list is far from exhaustive) and which shows the slightest promise, is instantly given the title of the "Kindle Killer". Currently, the Kindle sets the standard which must be first met, and then bettered, in order to achieve success.
If it seems as if the Kindle's current number one position is verging on the unassailable, it's worth bearing in mind that Amazon were a late entrant to the market when the Kindle was first released. The franklin eBookMan is generally considered to be the original dedicated e-book reader. This was launched in 1999 - a decade ago. The Sony PRS also hit the market in advance of the Kindle's 2007 launch.
The success of the Kindle was due to a number of different factors. In the first place, Amazon had a strong link with books, being one of the largest sellers online. They also had a huge selection of books available for download - at the moment they have over of 300,000 titles (and growing in number every day) on their Kindle store. The wireless connectivity feature - with no ongoing fees - was one more huge selling point.
In exactly the same way that Amazon came from nowhere to grab the top position, any one of the other contenders could do exactly the same thing - and in the short term. For example, Barnes and Noble have one million titles available for use with their new Nook e-book reader. They have also chosen to use the ePub format - which most of the readers currently in development seem to be opting for. The Kindle format, on the other hand, is proprietary. If you buy a Kindle book then you can read it on your Kindle (or an iPhone).
The Nook also lets you "lend" books to your family and friends for fourteen days. During the period of the loan, the borrower can read the e-book and the lender can no longer access it on their Nook - just like lending a "real" book in fact. The major difference between lending a Nook book and a standard paperback is that you will be sure to get your e-book back.
The next Sony reader in the pipeline (due out in December 2009, in time for the Christmas rush) - the Sony Daily Edition - will have a large format display, just like the Kindle DX, but unlike the DX it will feature touch screen controls. It will also let users borrow e-books from participating public libraries. Again - just like a real book.
The other readers in development generally incorporate features that may well make them more appealing than the Kindle. Amazon certainly have a fight on their hands - and it seems certain that they won't give up their number one position without a fight. Given their innovating role in the development of the market thus far, and considering the importance of the Kindle ebook reader to their business, it seems reasonable to expect them to have a few new ideas yet to be unleashed.
Considering the high level of activity amongst all of the various competitors, it would seem likely that the e-book reader market is about to start expanding even faster. It is to be hped that the fierce level of competition that seems about to be unleashed will produce a downward price trend sufficiently strong as to take e-book readers out of the geek domain and into the mainstream personal mobile technology market.
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