Devices like the iPad that let you read books and much more are likely to dominate the market so fully that standalone e-book readers have little hope of hanging on to much market share, new research suggests.
E-readers are being assaulted on all sides by all manner of gadgetry: tablets, smartphones, and laptops large and small. As screens get bigger and crisper on all of the devices, the need for standalone reading devices will inevitably shrink, according to market research firm Informa Telecoms & Media (reported by VentureBeat) -- especially as online book purchasing markets develop and streamline into something easier to manage.
After all, who wants to carry two devices when they can tote just one?
Informa posits that 2014 will mark the high point of sales for standalone e-readers, peaking around 14 million devices. After that, "multipurpose devices" will pick up the slack, Informa predicts, though its analysts figure a niche will linger for low-cost readers that have no networking features and that consumers can treat less carefully than more expensive devices. Imagine, for example, gifts for children or devices to take on vacation: As with netbooks before them, they'd be no great loss if damaged or misplaced.
What say ye? I love the convenience that broadband wireless gives the Kindle, but if ripping it out (along with the other not-related-to-books features like audio and a Web browser) could ultimately knock the price down to, say, 99 bucks U.S., would it actually be more compelling?
For now, there’s clearly a market for both types of devices, but by the time iPad 2 or 3 gets here, I tend to agree that high-end e-book readers will have an uphill climb.
Tech Insider
