Quote:
Originally Posted by conan50
Google. Only Google at this point could truly knockdown Amazon, and it would be a tough fight. Android is everywhere that Amazon isn't. Android = Google Books. You can pick up cheap Android phones and tablets anywhere now, and they all come with Google Books. Can you imagine if Google quit treating Books like the red-headed stepchild? If they beefed up their bookstore to match Amazon's catalog, if they pushed book sales, and especially if they made it attractive to authors rather than an obstacle course to get books listed? I'm not convinced they will ever get serious about this, so yes, it is almost game over with Amazon becoming the defacto ebook store. It would take a herculean effort and I don't see anyone who is willing to do it.
One other thing comes to mind--if Google and Kobo joined forces, or if Google bought Kobo outright, that would be an awesome combination. Google has the reach, Kobo has the ability to sell and promote ebooks as well as a lineup of e-ink devices. That would give Amazon pause.
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That is an assumption on your part. There is no evidence.
Smashwords is well known.
Many readers buy a book or two there upon occasion.
What it is missing is a functional way to sort through content.
Manga scanlating and cataloging sites like Batoto and Manga Updates sort through large catalogs with multiple keywords.
If at some future date Smashwords hired someone even vaguely competent to organize their catalog they could become competitive.
Amazon isn't as dominant as they are because of what they do.
Their position has been and still is due to what their competitors
do not do.