E-Books are digital versions of printed books, which are distributed through the Internet. These files can be read on eReaders, tablets, personal computers, smartphones, and also on some mobile phones.
The book market is undergoing a phase of transition. Developers are introducing new formats, manufacturers are building new devices, companies are creating new business models, and most importantly new readers are making the leap from paper books to eBooks. Experts agree that eBooks and eReaders are gaining momentum and are poised to make the breakthrough that will significantly change the book industry.
Since that point in bookselling history, the sales of e-books continued to trend upward, causing a revolution that the book publishing industry hadn’t seen since. The rapid rise of the e-book format had a huge impact on the book publishing industry, and clearly contributed to the demise of the major bricks-and-mortar bookseller. Without a doubt, the e-book is practically the biggest thing that’s hit the publishing industry since the invention of movable type. Publishers and e-book resellers are reporting astronomical growth.
Consumers have already shown that they love e-books for their convenience and accessibility, but ultimately most e-books today are the same as print, just in digital form. The e-book of the not-too-distant future will be much more than text. Interactivity has arrived and will change the nature of the e-book.
Most experts interviewed consider digital advances in the book industry to be an opportunity. Accordingly, they hope that new target groups can be addressed with eBooks (young consumers, sight-impaired persons, or certain professional groups) and that new sources of revenue can be generated by means of impulse buying and personalized offers. They believe eBooks complement printed formats.
Printed books will still exist. After television, we still have cinema and radio. There is no need to fear that bound books will only be found in museums, connoisseurs’ collections, and in antique markets, or considered curiosities the same way we now view eight-track tapes. The book industry that we know and understand today will continue to thrive, but it will be transformed by eBooks and eReaders.
In coming years, printed books will still account for the majority of sales. Technology may change rapidly, but people’s habits do not. People will continue to want books to fill their shelves, give as gifts, and place on their bedside. But make no mistake – modern reading devices such as the Kindle and iPad mark the beginning of a digital transformation, and the book market has taken its first, irreversible steps into new territory.
Because habits of media usage are changing gradually, book readers will initially have to be nudged in the direction of the new possibilities. Publishers will need to explain the benefit of eBooks and eReaders: reliability, functionality, and ease of use. In addition, user-friendly readers with a permanent link to the online shop, a clearly communicated customer benefit, an intelligent combination of all distribution channels and a wide range of content are key factors for success.
