|
Physical eBooks
Video games are inherently digital, but the majority are sold as packaged media for use in a console/PC, as opposed to download. Many games, once played through, are not used much again, but they can be sold second hand, lent etc., because they are packaged physically. Although the security can be hacked, most people don't take advantage of this (too much hassle), and the games industry is doing very well.
Why couldn't this model work for ebooks? What I'm talking about is selling physical media with the ebook(s) on (e.g. an SD card). Sony could do this right now for some of its models with SD card slots. There could be an option to move the book securely to the device, so that you don't have to have the book in the reader to read it (perhaps rendering the version on the card unusable until you move it off again).
This model would have the advantage that ebooks could be sold alongside physical books, people would see what they were getting and perhaps be happier to pay the same price, they could be resold/lent etc.
Has this been attempted? Is it a mad idea?
The main blocker that I can see is the lack of standardisation in devices.
Thoughts?
|