Is the ereader dead?

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by latepaul

This might be an odd thing to say for someone who owns seven eink devices, but as long as ebooks are still available I'm less concerned about dedicated ereaders. The best thing about my Kindles/Kobos is the battery life. The eink is nice but I'll happily read off my PC monitor or tablet screen. (In fact I probably read on my PC more than any other device). I almost never read outside.

And I've been saying for a few years that ereaders will eventually go away anyway. That's not based on declining popularity, that's based on the belief that at some point they'll figure out a screen technology that has the advantages of both eink and lcd and we'll just have tablets and phones. They only reason we have dedicated reading devices is that eink is good for reading but not a lot else.

For some reason certain people don't like single use devices – I'm talking specifically about those critics who have been saying "eInk devices are dead" for the last five years. Usually their argument centers around the argument that there's "no real need for a device that can just be used for reading – after all, smartphones and tablets can do that and so much more." They try to argue that LCD screens are fine and imply that those who don't think so are cranks just imagining that they have issues with these screens.

This newest article is just more of the same.

Here's why I like eReaders. Long battery life (as you mentioned). Easy on the eyes. Light, easy to carry and hold (probably one of the biggest reasons). And, ironically considering the article writer's arguments, because an eReader is a one use device – no distractions. I sometimes read on my Blackberry Q10 (if I'm stuck waiting somewhere) but I never read on my tablet – which is currently sitting in a drawer because I got tired of keeping it charged (the tablet is too heavy and the LCD screen is uncomfortable and I don't really have any use for one). I don't read books on a PC (I sometimes fire up Calibre to highlight a quote I want to use).

I don't see eReaders going away. They're a niche market, but it's a pretty big niche. And, according to the article, it appears Amazon (at least) understands that many (probably a majority) of the heavy readers prefer eReaders.

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by Alohamora

The part I quoted for a start.

Okay, sorry. I disagree but I guess that's the point of discussion.

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by Sarmat89

I don't see a future to e-readers, as the sales of e-books will continue to fall, because the book released in a digital format will be stolen by pirates in days.

Yeah, I think you've mentioned this a few times. Just curious, what's the draw of Mobile Read to you? A convenient place to air your complaints about the "evils" of eBooks? eBooks aren't going away, but you can dream big if you want to.

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by taosaur

Well no, there's no such statement or implication in the article. He expressed something people around here say quite frequently: that ereader development stalled or plateaued years ago, and for the indefinite future. There was no indication of dislike and not much controversy beyond the headline (which is a headline, it's what they do). Not every less-than-glowing mention of something you like or support has to indicate hostility or 180 degree opposition.

He called the Nook Glowlight 3 "mediocre" and the Oasis "too expensive." Meanwhile he probably uses (what I would consider) a way overpriced, laptop and/or tablet and/or smartphone – and no major innovation has happened on those devices for years. If the device is fit for its use, why do we have to see "innovation" every year? Unfortunately application developers get trapped on this "innovation" treadmill and that's why we end up with bloatware that does too many things poorly. (And, for me – personally – a tablet or smartphone are poor reading devices.)

[fjtorres]

Here's some oldish charts on ereader sales, pbook sales, etc.

https://www.janefriedman.com/the-sta...y-in-5-charts/

https://www.janefriedman.com/5-valuable-charts/

https://www.janefriedman.com/myth-print/

And then, there is this:

https://www.janefriedman.com/dont-im...shing-stories/

Over the last month, there have been a couple publishing stories receiving wide play across mainstream news sites such as The Guardian, Vox, Huffington Post, and others. While such outlets may be respectable and have the ability to get most stories right, in the publishing industry, two problems often come into play:

A lack of understanding of industry statistics—and an inability to put them in their proper context
Knee-jerk judgment regarding anything Amazon does

Publications with business models that predominantly rely (or did rely) on print also have the “nostalgia” problem—where they’re particularly prone to latch on to any story that indicates a possible resurgence of print or decline of digital.

[taosaur]

Originally Posted by rcentros

He called the Nook Glowlight 3 "mediocre" and the Oasis "too expensive."

Correct: in support of the already mentioned point that the technology is not progressing. Personally, I see lots of room for improvement, much as I like my Kindle. How much or how fast the technology should progress is beside the point, though. Because it is not progressing and newer models have no particular appeal for those who resisted or abandoned past models, there's a vicious cycle at work against ongoing interest and development.

Will that tree grow to heaven? Almost certainly not. Dedicated reading devices aren't vanishing from the face of the earth any time soon. Again, the headline was clickbait, but little said in the article was at all controversial. It was a straightforward survey of the state of the ereader market at present, and for the last few years.

[HLS]

Originally Posted by Thasaidon

The dedicated eReader is unlikely to become more than a niche market but it is one that is likely to suit a large and growing demographic. The older reader.

I notice that Tom's article seems very US centric. People outside the US also buy dedicated eReaders and they will also affect the future market for dedicated eReaders.

This being the case as long as companies can make money making and selling dedicated eReaders someone will do so. But technology marches on perhaps someone will come up with screen that is better than eInk, can play HD full colour films, is unbreakable, cheaper and uses even less power. If mobiles and tablet were fitted with such screens I could see dedicated eReaders as we know them disappearing.

eBooks are here to stay (at least for the forseeable future) as they can be read on many types of devices.

In light of the above I think that dedicated eReaders will continue to be around for a while yet as a niche market it is although the number of models is likely to reduce. I also think the glory days of high and increasing sales are over. Unless interest starts booming in countries who have no significant eReader base as yet.

I think the opposite. The younger generation will be more into it. Many older folks I encountered do not even understand what an ereader is. Sales may have tapered off due t its no longer a new concept that everyone flocks too but as long as tablet has glare and people love to read outdoors we will always have a need for a glare free reading like an ereader.

[jj2me]

From the article:

"While e-books are doing just fine, the fate of the devices dedicated exclusively to those e-books is much murkier."

How about it being simply due to a difference in useful lifetimes of devices?

My first e-reader, a PRS-505 is still fine. Along with Calibre, I can't see any limitations for reading on it just as well as on the first day I got it.

My first tablet, a Creative ZiiO bought about three years later, is running Gingerbread, so there are a lot of apps that have passed it by. It only has 512 MB of RAM. I've relegated it to video playback using their in-built ZiiO video app.

The used market has more usable older e-readers. People still like Kindle Keyboards from 7 years ago. A phone or tablet from 7 years ago is hardly worth the listing fees charged to sell it.

Longevity of the device's life, plus a deeper used market competing with new sales, seems an easy explanation for the author's conundrum. Then there's the anticipation of new tech, viz., a color e-reader, that can further put off device upgrade sales.

[Apache]

Originally Posted by LordP

I'll throw in my two cents.

Yes, we can read ebooks on all sorts of devices, but we can't do so comfortably.

Having said that, I'm actually going away from e-readers, I've owned three Kobos and on all of them I've eventually had problems with the micro USB port and charging becomes a challenge. I'm sick of that and refuse to keep buying these devices. I had Kindles in the past, and I remember having issues with at least one of them too.

Before I get slammed about being rough with the devices - I've never once had issues with phones or other micro USB devices.

I recently bought a Microsoft Surface Pro and I'm super happy with it - not so much with the e-book programs, but it is what it is.

I'm just about to retire and mobility/weight is not the requirement it once was so that's one less reason to depend on e-readers. Freedom!!

The only drawback I've encountered is that a Surface Pro is a real challenge to use when reading in bed. It's damn near impossible.

I have been reading on my Surface Pro for a little over three years now and love it. I have Calibre installed and use the Calibre ebook viewer for reading. Why is it impossible for you to read in bed using the Surface Pro? I read in bed every night with mine. I do have a temperpedic mattress that raises up. If I do not want to hold it I can pop out the stand and set it on my legs.
Apache

[latepaul]

Originally Posted by rcentros

I don't see eReaders going away. They're a niche market, but it's a pretty big niche. And, according to the article, it appears Amazon (at least) understands that many (probably a majority) of the heavy readers prefer eReaders.

I don't think they'll go away until there's something that does what they do as well if not better for most of that niche.

I remember in the era of Palm Pilots and other PDAs - which lest we forget were massively popular - that there were some early attempts to combine a phone with a PDA. They were awful and the reviews usually pointed out that you better off sticking with single use devices. A phone that's just a phone will be a better phone than one that's also trying to be a digital organiser. And I think that was true until it wasn't.

At some point someone figured out how to combine these functions, and others, well - and we got smartphones. I think it was partly design and partly that the technology had to catch up - touch screens and faster mobile CPUs. Once they were good enough a watershed was reached and the market for PDAs went from being massive to niche.

And I think this could happen with screen technologies.

[fjtorres]

Originally Posted by latepaul

I don't think they'll go away until there's something that does what they do as well if not better for most of that niche.

I remember in the era of Palm Pilots and other PDAs - which lest we forget were massively popular - that there were some early attempts to combine a phone with a PDA. They were awful and the reviews usually pointed out that you better off sticking with single use devices. A phone that's just a phone will be a better phone than one that's also trying to be a digital organiser. And I think that was true until it wasn't.

At some point someone figured out how to combine these functions, and others, well - and we got smartphones. I think it was partly design and partly that the technology had to catch up - touch screens and faster mobile CPUs. Once they were good enough a watershed was reached and the market for PDAs went from being massive to niche.

And I think this could happen with screen technologies.

Is anybody still selling PDAs?
I thought they didn't just go niche but extinct.

Digital music players are niche but the very high end models and the very low end survive.

Cameras also survive just fine.

Just because multipurpose devices can do a job doesn't automatically preclude single function devices from enduring.

[LordP]

I have been reading on my Surface Pro for a little over three years now and love it. I have Calibre installed and use the Calibre ebook viewer for reading. Why is it impossible for you to read in bed using the Surface Pro? I read in bed every night with mine. I do have a temperpedic mattress that raises up. If I do not want to hold it I can pop out the stand and set it on my legs.
Apache

I lay down sideways in bed. Very awkward.

[harriska2]

Originally Posted by LordP

I lay down sideways in bed. Very awkward.

Yep, same here. Love my KPW but would sell my left arm for a used Voyage. I have a ipad pro 12.9, iphone, apple watch, and Windows desktop. But don’t you take away my Kindle. Probably read about 100-200 books a year on it.

[latepaul]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

Just because multipurpose devices can do a job doesn't automatically preclude single function devices from enduring.

Which is why I said it could happen not it will.

[Fbone]

Originally Posted by fjtorres

Here's some oldish charts on ereader sales, pbook sales, etc.

https://www.janefriedman.com/the-sta...y-in-5-charts/

https://www.janefriedman.com/5-valuable-charts/

https://www.janefriedman.com/myth-print/

And then, there is this:

https://www.janefriedman.com/dont-im...shing-stories/

Thank you. I thought I missed a more recent survey on America's reading habits.

The last one from April 2016 shows no increase in books read since 2011.

This possibly means that the heavy readers are reading more books (for the reasons you mentioned above) but they are not enough to offset the decreases elsewhere.

Being a numbers guy, I would like to see a correlation in the data, even if it's somewhat limited, and I don't currently see one.