The future of eBooks

This new study examines trends and developments in the eBooks and eReaders market in the United States, United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Germany, and discusses major challenges and key questions for the publishing industry worldwide. It also identifies market opportunities and developments for eBooks and eReaders, and makes recommendations for publishers, traditional retailers, online retailers, and intermediaries.

Given that publishers, internet bookstores, and companies that manufacture eReaders have high expectations for the digital future of the book industry, the study asks if a new generation of eReaders may, at last, achieve the long-awaited breakthrough that lures consumers away from paper and ink.

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• Will the industry face the same issues that music publishers did during its digital transformation several years ago – primarily digital piracy and a loss of revenue as customers discovered new methods of acquiring content and adopted new listening habits?

• Who will purchase eReaders? Will they be designed to appeal to a broad group of customers or only to those who have a high degree of comfort with technology? Will people who read once in a while want to buy an eReader, or will they only be purchased by the small group of customers who buy and read a high volume of books?

• Will publishers be able to use eBooks and eReaders to extend the market for books in general, creating a wider audience?

• Will publishers ever move to an alldigital model and abandon printed books?

• Is the media responsible for much of the hype we are now hearing about eBooks and eReaders?