Survey Reveals 49% of iPad Owners No Longer Want an eReader

[garygibsonsf]

The question of whether or not someone might use an Ipad as an ebook reader or not or some other device comes down to *how much* they're going to be reading. If you ask someone who reads maybe three or four books a year - or a dozen at most - if they want to buy, say, a Kindle, they'll reasonably say it's not worth it to them. Take someone like me who'll read at least a couple of dozen a year if not considerably more, and the Kindle starts making a lot more sense. But for the former occasional reader, an Ipad is probably about right. If I could afford it, I'd have both, for different reasons.

[Talldog]

I've been wanting to replace my U.S. DX for a while now because of lack of Sprint coverage at my house. Either WiFi or AT&T 3G would have worked for me. I love the idea of the iPad for a browser rather than my laptop, but I just couldn't justify it as an ereader. It's just too heavy (my naked DX is at the upper limit of comfortable to hold) and a significant percentage of my reading is done outside. I wonder how many of these iPad owners are really serious readers, as opposed to buying it for the other cool things it does, and by the way I can read books too.

My friend (and his kids) love their iPad for watching video, but all I care about is a browser and reader. I ended up going with the Graphite.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Talldog

I wonder how many of these iPad owners are really serious readers, as opposed to buying it for the other cool things it does, and by the way I can read books too.

Judging from the Apple forum, quite a few of us.

[John F]

The number for MID devices surprises me. I would have thought the number would be higher.

[drofgnal]

Originally Posted by hapmas77

Anyway, I'm considering to buy one.... Just need a correct reason to tell my wife.

I had the perfect reason. I developed Central Serous Retinapathy (CSR). It blurred my vision in one eye and made reading my Kindle 2 difficult in certain conditions. So my wife took over the kindle2 and I bought an ipad. Fortunately it is a condition that over time cures itself w/o treatment 90% of the time, which mine did.

[Kemp]

Originally Posted by LDBoblo

Thus two thirds are repeat customers. That's pretty high.

Not to beat this to death or anything, but attracting that many new customers to a company that's been around for as many years as Apple, and, at least in recent years, has overtaken the biggest competitor (Microsoft) with some very popular products (iPod, iPhone), is actually pretty amazing.

If Microsoft put out a fancy new something or other (perhaps something that didn't brick at an alarming rate), it's almost a guarantee that their repeat customer ratio would be at, like, 95% because of a similar, farther reaching universality of usage of their products.

On a different subject, the elitist imagery of Apple products (though some owners still like to pretend it's still around) has generally faded with such widespread ownership, except of course from the minds of people who don't like the devices.

[Maggie Leung]

Originally Posted by Talldog

I wonder how many of these iPad owners are really serious readers, as opposed to buying it for the other cool things it does, and by the way I can read books too.

As Harry says, there are a good number of us on MR and the Apple forum. Overall, I'd guess, relatively few.

I've found that iPad meets all my e-reading needs and have stopped using my Kindle. The idea that a "serious" reader won't choose an iPad (or other tablet) is usually based on the assumption that all readers love e-ink or have trouble reading on LCD. For me, neither of those is true. I read a book or two a day, and have no trouble reading on LCD. I prefer the user control of reading on iPad. It lets me adjust page color and brightness, and choose from a bunch of book apps and bookstores, without having to strip DRM or sideload. I just get straight to reading.

Of course, I still buy print books. Much of what I want to read hasn't been digitized.

[Talldog]

Originally Posted by Maggie Leung

I've found that iPad meets all my e-reading needs and have stopped using my Kindle

So, do you hold it, or do you have to keep it in your lap? Also, what kind of outdoor conditions can you use it in? What about bright lights indoors (e.g. sunlight coming in the room, overhead lighting)?

I have 30 days to think this over.

[HarryT]

It needs two hands to hold, but it's no heavier than a normal hardback book. It can be comfortably read in anything other than full direct sunlight.

[Maggie Leung]

Originally Posted by Talldog

So, do you hold it, or do you have to keep it in your lap? Also, what kind of outdoor conditions can you use it in? What about bright lights indoors (e.g. sunlight coming in the room, overhead lighting)?

I have 30 days to think this over.

I prop my iPad, and read in shade when outdoors. Those are my general preferences. I propped my Kindle 2, too. I don't like to sit in direct sunlight. I read most often in my book room, which has lots of ambient and task lighting, as well as good sun exposure. I adjust my iPad to avoid glare. I don't know why the screen is so shiny, but I can live with it.

I don't expect everyone to like iPad. I bought mine, figuring I'd try it and resell if the e-book function didn't work for me. I wanted e-books along with e-mail and Internet. If the e-book reading didn't work for me, I would've waited to try another tablet.

[LDBoblo]

Huh...it's interesting how the perception may be starting to slip. From outright dismissal to grudging acceptance for "less serious" readers is quite a change. If we're not careful to preserve hostilities, the feud between the iPad and other reader devices might cool off entirely.

[mgmueller]

Originally Posted by BenLee

Found this interesting article about a recent survey done on iPad users.

The findings were that iPads appeal to mostly females and new Apple users.

But the part I found most interesting was this segment here:



So, half of the iPad owners no longer want to consider buying an eReader. Considering the 3 million (?) iPads that have sold or will be sold.... that's a lot of people who have been eliminated as possible eReader users.

Another interesting bit was this



I knew entertainment and "cool" had something to do with the iPad's success, but wow. Amazing. Plus, nobody even mentioned anything about utility or reading. "convenience" is somewhat vague. Convenient to do what?

Interesting. But I guess, most of those consumers wouldn't have bought a gaming device or eBook reader anyway.
Personally, owning 4 PSPs and 3 NDS (soon, hopefully the 3D NDS), I find it ridiculous, to compare games on iPad to dedicated consoles.
Yes, there are some highlights. And yes, I don't need 5GB of multimedia, to be entertained with Sudoku or Kakuro.
But comparing the quality of, let's say, my 25 most favorite games on PSP, NDS and iPad, the difference is enormous.
And it has to be. My most expensive game on iPad probably has been $ 10, lots of them even in the range of $ 3. What's the average on PSP or NDS? $ 30? And I've found maybe 5 "big names" of the gaming industry for iPad - nothing compared to PSP or NDS.

Same for dedicated eBook readers. Statistics in the beginning said, 2.5 books per iPad had been downloaded (not even purchased, the free "Alice" and other books have been included in that count).
My average is about 200 book purchases per year. I think, the target group of iPads simply isn't the avid reader.

Don't get me wrong: I like my iPad - a lot.
But that's for reading magazines, surfing the web or a casual game while riding the train. All I've done before on my UMPC, which in the meantime I only use for some special tasks like downloading.
But I'd never replace any of my specialised units with iPad.
BTW: Does anyone of the "hardcore gamers" really enjoy a touchscreen for 3D egoshooters?

[Shaggy]

Originally Posted by BenLee

So, half of the iPad owners no longer want to consider buying an eReader.

How many of the ones that said they were not considering buying an eReader, were considering getting one in the first place?

You can also read that statistic to say that 51% of iPad users are still considering getting one. In other words, the majority of iPad owners still want a separate eReader.

Aren't statistics fun?

(I don't think either one of those stats really mean anything. It's all in how you want to interpret people's answers.)

[mgmueller]

Originally Posted by Hadel

I second that.
iPad was never about reading e-books, but about "coolness" and "iSomethingness"

They could also have added a question like:
"Do you consider buying now a water pistol?". I bet 80% would have answered "no"...

[Shaggy]

Originally Posted by HansTWN

I think it actually is pretty good news for e-readers. Doesn't it mean that 51% would consider buying an e-reader? And many of these 51% probably never even thought about that before they got the iPad. So perhaps using the iPad and experiencing some of the shortcomings helped them warm up to getting a dedicated reader.

It probably means that 90% of the people answering the survey couldn't care less one way or the other about eReaders, but had to answer either "yes/no" to the question.