Rapid Growth Forecast For Ebook Reader Sector In 2010
Amazon has had a great year in 2009. A lot of the credit for that must go to the Kindle ebook reader family. The Kindle 2.0 and its larger sibling, the DX, have been a huge success for Amazon. The Kindle is now Amazon’s number one selling product.
At the moment, the Kindle is accounting for 60% of all ebook reader sales in the USA. The Kindle 2 recently had its global launch. Even if Amazon can’t reproduce such good figures on the international stage – though this may well be possible – the increased size of their potential customer base should be more than enough to drive even better results in 2010.
There are some who suppose that the main reason for the Kindle’s phenomenal success so far is a lack of competition. Whilst it may be true that, until recently at least, there weren’t many readers which users would have considered as a genuine alternative to the Kindle, the fact of the matter is that the Kindle was an innovative product which redefined the market and that is the primary cause of its success to date.
There are certainly enough alternative readers available today – or due for release in the near future. The long list of competitors which either have their own readers on the market or scheduled for imminent release is a clear indication of the level of growth which can be anticipated in the e-book reader market. Although the market is new and is still in development, it has received support from a variety of different sources – including the world of academic publishing and various political bodies. Rapid growth looks inevitable.
Another good indicator of the expected level of growth in this sector is the high volume of third party goods available to protect, customise and accessorise ebook readers. At the moment the majority of these items are intended for Amazon’s Kindle reader. If you want a Kindle cover, Kindle reading light or a spare charger then there are plenty of independent manufacturers ready and willing to meet your needs. The choice for new readers, such as Sony’s Daily Edition and the Nook reader from Barnes and Noble will gradually expand as their popularity increases.
2009 was a good year for Amazon and 2010 will be a good year for ebook readers in general – they will become much more commonplace. The dominant position of Amazon will certainly come under attack and strong competition will result in a downward price trend – possibly driving prices low enough for ebook readers to enter the mainstream personal electronics market.
Many business analysts suggest that $ 150 is the magic price level at which this will happen. Looking at the competition in the market, it’s not unreasonable to wonder if this price level might actually be achieved during the course of 2010.
Check out the Amazon Kindle reader and learn how to save money by downloading free Kindle ebooks direct from the Amazon site.
