The future of digital reading is on the phone

[PandathePanda]

http://www.wsj.com/articles/the-rise...ing-1439398395

Ever since the first hand-held e-readers were introduced in the 1990s, the digital-reading revolution has turned the publishing world upside down. But contrary to early predictions, it’s not the e-reader that will be driving future book sales, but the phone.

“The future of digital reading is on the phone,” said Judith Curr, publisher of the Simon & Schuster imprint Atria Books. “It’s going to be on the phone and it’s going to be on paper.”

For now, tablets like the iPad and Kindle Fire remain the most popular platform to read digital books. According to Nielsen, the percentage of e-book buyers who read primarily on tablets was 41% in the first quarter of 2015, compared with 30% in 2012.

But what has captured publishers’ attention is the increase in the number of people reading their phones. In a Nielsen survey of 2,000 people this past December, about 54% of e-book buyers said they used smartphones to read their books at least some of the time. That’s up from 24% in 2012, according to a separate study commissioned by Nielsen.

The number of people who read primarily on phones has risen to 14% in the first quarter of 2015 from 9% in 2012.

Meanwhile, those reading mainly on e-readers, such as Kindles and Nooks, dropped over the same period to 32% from 50%. Even tablet reading has declined recently to 41% in the first quarter this year from 44% in 2014.

[HarryT]

This doesn't surprise me. The number of people who read enough to justify a dedicated reading device has always been small compared to those using a multi-function device such as a phone or tablet. As phones get larger screens, naturally they become more suitable for reading on. There will, however, always be "hard-core" readers who prefer to use a dedicated device.

[pdurrant]

I read for several years on PDAs, which had much worse (& smaller!) screens that today's smart phones. I would have loved to have a device with my iPhone 5's screen back then.

So I'm not at all surprised that lots of people read on their phone now.

Personally, I'd much, much rather read on an EInk device. My new Paperwhite 3 is marvellous.

[tubemonkey]

As long as there are inexpensive eink readers, I'll continue reading. If that changes, I'll convert totally to audiobooks.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

As long as there are inexpensive eink readers, I'll continue reading. If that changes, I'll convert totally to audiobooks.

I strongly suspect what will happen is that, at some point in the next 5-10 years, a screen technology will emerge that combines the sunlight readability and low power consumption of eInk with the colour and high refresh speeds required by tablets. At that point, dedicated readers probably will disappear because the need for them will have gone.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by HarryT

I strongly suspect what will happen is that, at some point in the next 5-10 years, a screen technology will emerge that combines the sunlight readability and low power consumption of eInk with the colour and high refresh speeds required by tablets. At that point, dedicated readers probably will disappear because the need for them will have gone.

I currently have a bet (from 2010) on about the availability of such a display. I confess I'd hoped it would be here by the end of 2015, but with only four months to go, that's looking unlikely, unless Amazon have something in the works with LiquaVista. But I don't lose money on the bet unless nothing ships before 2024, so I'm still fairly confident.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by HarryT

I strongly suspect what will happen is that, at some point in the next 5-10 years, a screen technology will emerge that combines the sunlight readability and low power consumption of eInk with the colour and high refresh speeds required by tablets. At that point, dedicated readers probably will disappear because the need for them will have gone.

If the screen technology changes so that it doesn't bother my eyes like current LCD does, then I'd gladly switch to a tablet.

[PandathePanda]

I've read a few books on my various phones. I read the last harry potter. Book on my ace I had a while back.

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

As long as there are inexpensive eink readers, I'll continue reading. If that changes, I'll convert totally to audiobooks.

I've tried audio books, but I find reading much more pleasurable. My mind tend to wander if I listen, reading keeps my mind focused.

[pwalker8]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

I read for several years on PDAs, which had much worse (& smaller!) screens that today's smart phones. I would have loved to have a device with my iPhone 5's screen back then.

So I'm not at all surprised that lots of people read on their phone now.

Personally, I'd much, much rather read on an EInk device. My new Paperwhite 3 is marvellous.

I'm the same way. Started reading on a palm pilot. But that was when my eyes were a lot younger. I will read on my iPhone 6 plus when I'm waiting in line, but the vast majority of my reading is one on either an iPad Mini or iPad.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by pwalker8

I'm the same way. Started reading on a palm pilot. But that was when my eyes were a lot younger. I will read on my iPhone 6 plus when I'm waiting in line, but the vast majority of my reading is one on either an iPad Mini or iPad.

I never used a Palm Pilot, but I did use some of the later models in the Palm range after they'd dropped the "Pilot" name. Most of my early reading, though, was done of Windows CE devices - clamshell machines and "Pocket PC" devices. My favourite was the Compaq (later HP) "iPaq" range which I read on for many years.

[fjtorres]

The one caution I have with these kinds of reports is that they don't report context.
In 2012 the ebook market was still growing very fast as ebooks spread into the mainstream from heavy readers to casual readers. In 2015 we have a much bigger market with most of the user growth coming from casual readers with smartphones and tablets who don't buy as many books.
The numbers quoted suggest that eink isn't as important without weighting the number of books each user buys (not all customers are created equal).
A year or so back, Nook reported that a very strong majority of their sales came from eink devices so the odds that 14% of phone-only readers provide even 10% of sales is pretty low.

I suspect a breakdown of ebook *sales* would show something like a 60-30-10 split for eink, tablets, and phones in ebook unit sales. And that is being generous to the phone-only readers.

If anything, those folks represent growth targets for eink.

[tdonline]

This is already true for me...only because for every ten books I now 'read', 9 of them are audiobooks.

Actually reading on my phone? Not at the font size I use--having to scroll every few sentences drove me nuts when I tried to read Pride and Prejudice on my Samsung Galaxy 3.

[Turtle91]

I find when I set the font size to (insert your desired font size)...it is the same size on ALL devices...I stopped reading on my ipad mini because it was too heavy...I stopped reading on my PW because it was too slow...and I couldn't stand the interruption in the story waiting for the page to turn - or the lack of color. I might tap on the screen more often on my phone than on a larger screened device, but honestly I don't even notice it. My thumb twitches and the story continues - no thought required. Plus, My phone is always with me... I don't have to carry multiple devices and I get ALL my emails too!

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by PandathePanda

I've tried audio books, but I find reading much more pleasurable. My mind tend to wander if I listen, reading keeps my mind focused.

And I'm the opposite. I prefer audiobooks. At times, I find my mind wandering when reading a book. Either way, I'm not worried about the platforms for ebooks, because there'll always be audiobooks.

[NickyWithNook]

I have read on a phone but I prefer something larger than that. OTOH I have friends who read exclusively on their phones and who think it's ridiculous to buy something specific for reading.

I am among those who can't use audiobooks without my mind wandering. I like the idea of it though. I'm going to try it at the gym this year when my kids are back in school and see if it's easier there than at home.