Quote:
Originally Posted by nnpptt
Fair enough, but judging by consumers' reactions to the Kindle, 100k is a very reachable number. Just getting a foot in the door in this business is a start. As handhelds merge with phones (and e-readers), Amazon is at least trying to stake a claim in this market. They're doing pretty well, too:
http://comparati.com/1125-Amazon-Kindle-vs-Sony-Reader
Even the Bookeen and Sony folks have ended up fairly happy. |
Well, Amazon is not doing all this to "get a foot in the door." They want to not only dominated the ebook market but grow it ten-fold. Currently the entire market in english speaking countries is only about $25 million retail a year. Owning 100% of that tiny market would not interest Amazon in the slightest. If they cannot grow this industry into the hundreds of millions, which they *then* dominate, then they will exit this business within 2 to 3 years.
Sony, I'm afraid, is putting a brave face on. I don't see Sony surviving in the ebook business past 2008. Just look at the comments in some of the mobile read threads, littered with people saying "my kindle has replaced my sony", and almost nothing on the other side of that.
Sony was already struggling to justify their ebook venture. Kindle is the final nail in the coffin for Sony. I'll be amazed if they don't shut it down sometime in 2008. Normally these kinds of decision are made in June through August. The decision will be made before the manufacturing season for 2008 holidays begins in September.
Bookeen is a small private company and this may in fact be good for them by growing the market. Their requirements for revenue to stay in the game is no where near what sony's is. Big companies will dump products far faster than small companies will, in general.