Quote:
Originally Posted by cellaris
Well, most people could learn about any other brand of e-reader if they wanted to, just as you, I, or any other member of this forum know about them. If they don't, it's because they don't want to, not because they can't. Choosing Kindle without bothering to look at other brands is itself a choice.
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Mostly local shops only had Kindles. Argos then added Kobo. Very recently one has Pocketbook. Mainstream media only mentions Kindle. Any books I've read mentioning an ereader mention a Kindle. I saw a Sony in a shop once. A short-lived gadget shop in Dublin just before the Kindle was released in Europe.
Amazon has over 90% of English Ebook sales worldwide and over 80% of paper based book online sales in USA.
I didn't even know about Kobo till about 2017, despite researching eink in 2007 and reading Gadget sites.
In mainstream news you'd think only Apple, Samsung, Google, Microsoft and Amazon, Nintendo and Sony exist.
So how would an ordinary consumer know that Kobo, Onyx-Boox, Pocketbook or Meebook exists?
Especially since the majority don't even buy a Kindle ereader, but read on the iOS or Android App?
Apple has Macbooks, iPhones and iPad.
Google has Android and their own branded tablets and ChromeOS/Chromebook
Amazon has the Fire Tablet, Kindle ereaders, Fire branded 3rd party TV, and TV streaming stick and is the largest Western online retailer.
Microsoft has Windows, Xbox and Surface.
Nintendo has Switch.
Sony has Playstation and abandoned ereaders 10 or 11 years ago.
There is no choice for most consumers as they don't even know there are alternatives to search for. TCL is in supermarkets and phone shops and a review of their Nxtpaper is likely to only mention Kindles and Kindle Colorsoft.
The Barnes & Noble Nook is only in one market.
As an alternative to Amazon Kindle store people are more likely to encounter Apple Books and Google Playstore Playbooks (which curiously don't sell well), not the Kobo bookstore.
Here is a niche readership.