11-26-2007, 04:30 AM | #1 |
Member
Posts: 18
Karma: 10
Join Date: Nov 2007
Device: PDA
|
The coming price war?
Future pricings of eReaders is going to be interesting. So far, as far as I can tell, the tale seems to have been:
"We manufacture and sell eReaders, but our sales volume is low. Therefore there is little market for these devices." Vendors have not realised that no-one is prepared to pay their outrageous prices for what is essentially a one-task device. The launch of the Kindle in the US at US$400 (UK£200) and the rate at which it sells out, indicates (to me at least) that the price that people are prepared to pay around UK£175 (US$350) for a "non-wireless" eReader. If vendors do not match these sort of prices then I suspect that their product is going to be dead in the water. I think we should all hold off buying until around March 2008 when the prices across the board will be about right, or certain companies will have gone to the wall along with their product. Assuming that we get a nice price war, and I believe that it will come down to just this, survivors/winners will probably be: Bookeen Cybook Gen 3; (already at £245 (US$500)) HanLin V3 US$329 (UK£170 plus around £80 to bring it into the country). If packaged for outside China with a EU supplier this will be a winner, import duties and tax is the killer here at the moment). At £306 (US$612) Istarebook does not look hopeful. Neither does Irex Iliad (although Iliad may have a different market (engineering , construction sciences etc etc). Its spec is a bit upmarket. But at a basic price (no cover) of £433, too pricey for the general reader, student, teacher, researcher. The above is of course only my opinion based upon a UK view. We have seen this sort of fight before, remember Betamax and VHS? My advice is (if you are not in the US) to wait and see who is the last man standing. A J Edwards |
11-26-2007, 04:54 AM | #2 |
eBook Enthusiast
Posts: 85,544
Karma: 93383043
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: UK
Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6
|
The determining factor at present is the high cost of eInk screens. A 6" eInk screen costs about £100 ($200) to manufacture (that's the cost to the device manufacturer, not the retail price), so you can't realisticially sell an eInk bookreader for under about £150 ($300) retail, plus whatever local taxes apply.
Manufacturing costs will certainly fall with time, but that's the current situation. |
Advert | |
|
11-26-2007, 05:28 AM | #3 |
Member
Posts: 18
Karma: 10
Join Date: Nov 2007
Device: PDA
|
Coming price war
Thank you Harry, I did not know the cost of the eink screen.
This leads me to believe that the price in the UK is then going to be approx £180 (inc VAT) + p&p. Additions such as a quality leather case can be extra. Once this price is achieved just watch them fly off the shelves. If this price can be achieved then whoever does it will win hands down. A J Edwards |
11-26-2007, 06:17 AM | #4 |
Wizard
Posts: 4,395
Karma: 1358132
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: UK
Device: Palm TX, CyBook Gen3
|
Isn't it likely that improved technology will sustain price levels - the next gen will cost about the same as the current gen?
The best cost effective option may be to purchase penultimate generation devices (e.g. Sony 500 instead of 505). |
11-26-2007, 08:46 AM | #5 |
Martin Kristiansen
Posts: 1,546
Karma: 8480958
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Johannesburg
Device: Kindle International Ipad 2
|
I agree with you on this to a limited degree. We have been paying around $10 000 for high end 35mm digital cameras for ages. They started out at 1.4 megapixel and are now up to 21 megapixel but the price has stayed the same. I think e ink devices may follow this trend but not to the same degree as after all how far is there to go with a book reader.
|
Advert | |
|
11-26-2007, 09:57 AM | #6 | |
Reborn Paper User
Posts: 8,616
Karma: 15446734
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Que Nada
Device: iPhone8, iPad Air
|
Quote:
That's all if our oil based marketing structures and lifestyle holds on. |
|
11-26-2007, 10:42 AM | #7 | |
Guru
Posts: 767
Karma: 2347
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: NYC
Device: Sony Reader, nook, Droid, nookColor, nookTablet
|
Quote:
|
|
11-26-2007, 12:13 PM | #8 | |
Books and more books
Posts: 917
Karma: 69499
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: White Plains, NY, USA
Device: Nook Color, Itouch, Nokia770, Sony 650, Sony 700(dead), Ebk(given)
|
Quote:
After having the Sony for a while and giving the Ebk1150 to my father in law when he went back to Europe (he absolutely loved it, especially reading newspapers in our language), I thought I would be using the Sony more, but I tend to use it less actually, rather read a print book if I want the experience of print, and of course I use intensively my 770 everywhere. The 770 reading is not print as e-ink is, but personally I find it much better than print. Can't say why I am using the Sony less and less (no backlight, too big, too slow, no touch screen..) but right now I am getting an Ipod touch (tested it with large science pdf's and it was the best mobile experience with pdf's that I ever had), and while now it's still locked so you either jailbreak it or have to use the wi-fi, if Apple folows through their promise and opens it up it will be a great reader too. |
|
11-26-2007, 12:21 PM | #9 | |
Grand Sorcerer
Posts: 8,478
Karma: 5171130
Join Date: Jan 2006
Device: none
|
Quote:
We should expect that, as more companies manufacture e-ink, and once the design stabilizes (hopefully on a faster-refresh color variant), e-ink screen prices should drop, too. But, just as with laptops, it could take awhile. |
|
11-26-2007, 12:42 PM | #10 | |
eBook Enthusiast
Posts: 85,544
Karma: 93383043
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: UK
Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6
|
Quote:
|
|
11-26-2007, 02:26 PM | #11 | |
Grand Sorcerer
Posts: 8,478
Karma: 5171130
Join Date: Jan 2006
Device: none
|
Quote:
Many electronics materials have gone short, especially silicon (now that solar cell manufacturing is up) and other precious and toxic materials, and we can expect to see occasional product shortages on a regular basis, I'm sure. |
|
11-26-2007, 03:43 PM | #12 |
Reborn Paper User
Posts: 8,616
Karma: 15446734
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Que Nada
Device: iPhone8, iPad Air
|
Rarity of materials right! Silicon is the most abundant crystal on the planet.
Any reason is good to extort a buck. |
11-26-2007, 04:15 PM | #13 |
Grand Sorcerer
Posts: 8,478
Karma: 5171130
Join Date: Jan 2006
Device: none
|
Yes, but refining and working with it to create precision electronics is involved and expensive, making electronics grade silicon harder and harder to get... that's why many labs are actively seeking silicon replacements for electronics and solar cells right now.
|
11-26-2007, 04:35 PM | #14 | |
Connoisseur
Posts: 59
Karma: 405
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Berne, Switzerland
Device: Cybook Gen3
|
Quote:
I have no idea if the same holds true for e-ink panels. But I can very well imagine that PVI buying additional production plants might have an impact on e-ink panel pricing in the long run. |
|
11-26-2007, 05:11 PM | #15 | |
Reborn Paper User
Posts: 8,616
Karma: 15446734
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Que Nada
Device: iPhone8, iPad Air
|
Quote:
|
|
Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Seems Amazon have caused an epub price war in the UK | ceebee_uk | General Discussions | 11 | 09-27-2010 04:20 AM |
Has the price war for eBook Readers begun? | Dark123 | General Discussions | 8 | 08-26-2010 08:20 AM |
Unutterably Silly America's Weight War: The Heavy Price | recluse | Lounge | 11 | 04-07-2010 04:39 PM |
Has the Price war started? Preorder book for $13.10 | tapar | Amazon Kindle | 26 | 02-04-2010 08:10 AM |
Wal-Mart Amazon Book Price war | geneven | News | 2 | 10-17-2009 12:46 AM |