are eink devices a niche product?

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by theducks

I don't imagine those (e-ink) numbers are that small, considering the New models being released by the likes of Kobo and Amazon.

R&D hits the bottom line The 'Kodak" model, only stretches so far , which may be why these are NOT priced under US$100 like some of the former models were

When I checked the other day, ereader sales were down from 20 million to 12 million a year.
So I really don't think there are any worries. But then you have to ask of those 8 million how many were sony's or some other smaller company.
I have 2 ereaders that the companies no longer make them.

[theducks]

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

When I checked the other day, ereader sales were down from 20 million to 12 million a year.
So I really don't think there are any worries. But then you have to ask of those 8 million how many were sony's or some other smaller company.
I have 2 ereaders that the companies no longer make them.

Ya know, Salespeople live in a different world. A world where everyone BUYS the latest model and trashes (no reuse) the old one.

I drive a 2001 Nissan. I replace cars when the repairs would exceed the current value.
I use (various) Computers, none of which are less than 4 year old (not gameing) models .
Look at my devices (The 5YO Astak is hanging on by a thread )

Once a Product niche fills, (initial ownership) sales drop off to sustain levels.
Unless there is a failure, devices don't get frequently replaced with newer models by a good number of folk. It takes a significant improvement (or forced obsolescence) to get us folk to upgrade a working device

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by theducks

Ya know, Salespeople live in a different world. A world where everyone BUYS the latest model and trashes (no reuse) the old one.

I drive a 2001 Nissan. I replace cars when the repairs would exceed the current value.
I use (various) Computers, none of which are less than 4 year old (not gameing) models .
Look at my devices (The 5YO Astak is hanging on by a thread )

Once a Product niche fills, (initial ownership) sales drop off to sustain levels.
Unless there is a failure, devices don't get frequently replaced with newer models by a good number of folk. It takes a significant improvement (or forced obsolescence) to get us folk to upgrade a working device

I am the same way. 1st generation fire, 2nd Gen kobo, galaxy tab 4.
We recently replaced our 2002 Dodge Dakota Sport with a 2015 Ram 1500. Two reasons: more space and better gas mileage.

[Luffy]

Originally Posted by theducks

I don't imagine those (e-ink) numbers are that small, considering the New models being released by the likes of Kobo and Amazon.

R&D hits the bottom line The 'Kodak" model, only stretches so far , which may be why these are NOT priced under US$100 like some of the former models were

Okay, got it!

[crich70]

Originally Posted by GeoffR

Although it doesn't have detailed numbers, Kobo released a report that has some information suggesting that people with dedicated ereaders read faster, read more, and spend more on ebooks than those who read using apps on phones/tablets.

The article on Kobo's site has a link to the report.

From the section titled "What the device tells us" near the end of the report:

(By "device" they mean a dedicated ereader, rather than a tabet or phone with other functions. There are some numbers, but they involve terms such as "good" customers or "best" booklovers and you need to read the rest of the report to work out exactly what they mean by those terms.)

I think that makes sense. Phones have a smaller window space so it takes longer to read even one page and not everyone wants to carry around a tablet either. Ereaders have a good sized window area and are both very light weight and small without being too small.

[barryem]

I currently am doing about 40% of my reading on my phone and the rest on an e-ink device, Kindle or Kobo. I find that I read faster on the phone. It's a bit harder on my eyes so I read longer on e-ink. I usually read in short burts on the phone when I'm away from home.

I once read that newspaper columns are narrow to encourage fast reading; that their width was picked as the result of some sort of study that determined narrow columns help us read faster. I've since read that other studies have shown mixed results so I think the jury is still out on that but it kind of seems right to me.

Barry

[4691mls]

Originally Posted by crich70

I think that makes sense. Phones have a smaller window space so it takes longer to read even one page and not everyone wants to carry around a tablet either. Ereaders have a good sized window area and are both very light weight and small without being too small.

Yes, it makes sense to me that people who read a lot would be more likely to buy a dedicated reading device.

[cfrizz]

Originally Posted by theducks

Ya know, Salespeople live in a different world. A world where everyone BUYS the latest model and trashes (no reuse) the old one.

I drive a 2001 Nissan. I replace cars when the repairs would exceed the current value.
I use (various) Computers, none of which are less than 4 year old (not gameing) models .
Look at my devices (The 5YO Astak is hanging on by a thread )

Once a Product niche fills, (initial ownership) sales drop off to sustain levels.
Unless there is a failure, devices don't get frequently replaced with newer models by a good number of folk. It takes a significant improvement (or forced obsolescence) to get us folk to upgrade a working device

BINGO! I still have and it still works my Sony PRS-T1, as well as the first generation Nexus 7 tablet, my Samsung 5" media player, and the newer Samsung Note 2, and basically brand new Samsung Grand Prime phone that I have in case my media player dies.

All of them have my books on them, and I will read off of any of them at any given time. My main readers are my Note 2, and my pc.

All will be kept until they die, then they will get tossed. Only then, will I think about getting a replacement.

[Dazrin]

Originally Posted by GeoffR

Although it doesn't have detailed numbers, Kobo released a report that has some information suggesting that people with dedicated ereaders read faster, read more, and spend more on ebooks than those who read using apps on phones/tablets.

I wondered what they mean by "read faster" so I had to go look it up. Here's the quote:

Customers who use a device spend about 30% more than those who are app customers. Their book libraries are bigger and they tend to read faster because they are already a person who is predisposed toward doing more reading.

I had first read that as "read faster than the same person would on a phone/tablet" which while it sounds believable and is what I expected is not true for me.

I expected that I would read faster on my Kindle but the few times I have forgotten my Kindle at home or when I was in between Kindles I found that I read faster on my phone. I might finish 10% of a book during my commute when on the Kindle but I would finish 15-20% during the same commute on my phone. I am not sure why that is but it has been consistent. I also find that I read even faster if I read on a desktop computer screen. I don't enjoy it as much and it has more eye strain but I do seem to read faster. I have not read on a tablet much so no idea there. My tablet is too heavy/old to carry around.

I certainly agree with the last two items (read and spend more) though. Anyone who buys a dedicated device for reading is probably going to read more and spend more while doing it.

[4691mls]

Originally Posted by theducks

Ya know, Salespeople live in a different world. A world where everyone BUYS the latest model and trashes (no reuse) the old one.

I drive a 2001 Nissan. I replace cars when the repairs would exceed the current value.
I use (various) Computers, none of which are less than 4 year old (not gameing) models .
Look at my devices (The 5YO Astak is hanging on by a thread )

Once a Product niche fills, (initial ownership) sales drop off to sustain levels.
Unless there is a failure, devices don't get frequently replaced with newer models by a good number of folk. It takes a significant improvement (or forced obsolescence) to get us folk to upgrade a working device

I'm with you - my Sony PRS-T1 is four years old, my home computer is 5 years old, and my car is nine years old.

[Phogg]

Bulldozers are a niche market.
Most people just need a car or a truck.
There is still healthy competition in the bulldozer market.

[shalym]

Originally Posted by Phogg

Bulldozers are a niche market.
Most people just need a car or a truck.
There is still healthy competition in the bulldozer market.

Exactly!

Shari

[cvkemp]

At one point a few years ago I gave up on wink and used a tablet only, I started getting bad headaches from reading on the LCD/LED so I have gone back to wink for my reading of books and my headaches are gone. Since be back to my eink for reading I read on average a book a day compared to a book a week when I read on a tablet. I still use a tablet for web browsing, but not reading.

[theducks]

Originally Posted by Phogg

Bulldozers are a niche market.
Most people just need a car or a truck.
There is still healthy competition in the bulldozer market.

I (would) want min in Blue so it could win a MR poll

[crich70]

Originally Posted by theducks

I (would) want min in Blue so it could win a MR poll

A colorful argument. lol.