Checking in
Everybody ready?
Adrian Kingsley-Hughes
Yes
No
Matthew Miller
The moderator has delivered a final verdict.
Everybody ready?
Set to go
I am for Yes
I am for No
Just to know where everyone is starting from, which devices do you each use for reading? (Or is anyone willing to admit they still read on plain old paper anymore?)
I read using whatever I have with me -- dead tree books, books on my Kindle, and books on my iPad or iPhone. While I have to admit that I like the screen on my Kindle -- that e-ink screen is the closest thing to reading a paper page -- I'm finding that my iPad is the device I have with me most often.
And that's the clincher. It's not the best device that wins, it's the device that you have closest to hand. I will, at a pinch, read on my iPhone, but the screen is a little on the cramped side.
The iPad -- or any other 7-inch plus tablet -- makes an adequate e-reader. Sure, you have to compromise -- mostly when it comes to the screen -- but people are now so used to reading text on glossy screens that this is not a deal-breakers.
I am for Yes
I started reading ebooks several years ago on a Sony PRS-505 and have progressed through many different models, but my prime device today is the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite. I use my iPad for reading non-Kindle content I still have around and when I am out and about and have 15 minutes of waiting or so I will fire up the Kindle or Nook app on my smartphone to get a bit of reading done. The only reading I do on paper is with magazines and even with excellent iPad apps I still prefer paper magazines over anything electronic. I never buy paper books though and do all my reading on electronic devices.
I am for No
Let's be honest. Is describing e-readers as "going extinct" a bit melodramatic or simply the hard truth about where the market is headed?
Just as when the dinosaurs became extinct, crocodiles survived, not all e-readers will die off.
The issue isn't that of eradication or extinction, but erosion of market share.
E-readers first came to market before the tablet wave took off, so there was a void there. Even the initial stratospheric price of devices such as the Kindle didn't dampen enthusiasm. But once the iPad came to market, closely followed by an army of Android devices, that e-reader niche began to collapse.
As price erosion has taken its toll on Android tablets, the difference between an e-reader and a full-blown tablet is such that it doesn't make sense to spend money on what is essentially a one-trick pony.
And it's not like Amazon and Barnes & Noble aren't aware of this shift in economics, given that both offer their own tablets.
I am for Yes
It a few years for e-readers to even catch on with the consumers as many of us early adopters were using Sony Readers for years before the Kindle finally brought more attention to the space. The significant drop in price of e-readers is what really spurred the market and with continued lower prices the dedicated e-reader is a fantastic value. There will always be enough e-reader fans to keep the market alive and there is still a huge market of potential new e-reader buyers. I know many people that still prefer to read paper books, but I think that market will continue to shrink as people become more focused on reducing paper and waste. These readers want a book-like experience and heavy tablets do not satisfy that goal so I think it is way too premature to discount the e-reader market.
I am for No
Are there any use cases where an e-reader might suit a consumer's needs better than a tablet with features and functionality?
Probably, but by asking the question we're admitting that e-readers have transitioned from a mainstream market into a niche market, and while niche isn't a problem for high-margin devices such as digital SLRs, it usually means death for a low-margin product.
Low margins, plus low sales means stagnation, which ultimately leads to death.
I am for Yes
I think there are several reasons that e-readers are better suited for reading than a tablet. One of my primary reasons for using e-readers is to enjoy a complete distraction-free reading experience. I know you can turn off WiFi or notifications on a tablet to try to mimic an experience without distractions, but there is always that temptation to quickly check your email or hop on over to a social network. With a dedicated e-reader you get to focus on the book and leave the world behind.
Other major advantages of an e-reader over a tablet include extremely long battery life, display technology that is easy on the eyes and matches paper books, much lighter weight in the hand, ability to read at the beach, by the pool, or other places with sunlight or bright light, there are no security concerns if you lose your e-reader, and a cost much less than a tablet so if it is lost or broken it is not as expensive to replace.
I am for No
Is there any room for smartphones here? Can they replace an e-reader? Or even smartphone-tablet hybrids like Samsung's Note?
Definitely.
While the screens on smartphones are smaller than those found on tablets, people are willing to make that compromise when it allows them to pick up a book they were reading earlier on a tablet when all they have to hand is their smartphone.
Also, as smartphones get high pixel density displays, these are better suited to reading, and while they're not as good as e-ink at simulating the paper experience, wanting that paper experience in the first place is mostly a step back.
I am for Yes
I think it is great to have e-reader software on smartphones for those short reading periods that occur while you are waiting in line, at the movies sitting through the lame pre-preview content, or other times when your phone is with you but your tablet or e-reader is not. Even as a smartphone enthusiast, I do not think they can replace an e-reader. Phones are too important for many other things and using them as focused reading devices consumes battery that is better spent on other functions.
I have a Samsung Galaxy Note II and do find it works well for reading, but more as a tablet replacement than an e-reader substitute. I find I never use the Nexus 7 with the Note II in my collection, but the Kindle still takes precedence for reading.
I am for No
Aren't there plenty of consumers who own both an e-reader and a tablet? What is the rationality behind this?
I can think of a few ...
- People just love gadgets.
- People prefer the e-ink screen.
- They bought an e-reader before buying a tablet.
- E-readers are more durable.
There are undoubtedly more reasons, but these I think are the primarily ones.
I am for Yes
I don't have any figures to support this, but looking at the consumer that buys mobile gear I do think there are quite a few e-reader owners who also own a tablet. I don't count myself because I am a bit unusual in that I buy most mobile devices. The tablet seems to be more focused on multimedia content (movies, TV shows), gaming, and web surfing where the e-reader is primarily focused on just reading. Those who are avid readers can easily rationalize an inexpensive e-reader just for reading with an iPad or other tablet for everything else. Tablets are really just too heavy and have limited battery life to perform as full time e-readers.
I am for No
So far, e-readers have stayed popular because they're still better for reading books. What is it going to take for tablets to catch up here?
Time. Plain and simple.
That said, the market leader when it comes to e-readers is Amazon's Kindle, but so far Amazon hasn't revealed how many Kindles it has sold. I always find it a little worrying when a company is avoidant when it comes to sales figures.
I am for Yes
Exactly right, e-readers are vastly better for books. Tablets are going to have to get lighter and extend battery life considerably before I would consider using a tablet only for ebook reading. Display resolutions have continued to vastly improve on tablets and I have never really been bothered by eye strain when reading on tablets. That said, I still personally prefer the eInk display experience on a dedicated device.
It is not realistic at this time for tablets to use eInk for their display technology as the refresh rate kills that experience and people won't go backwards from what they use now on tablets.
I am for No
Amazon and Barnes & Noble are arguably the top two e-reader makers. What could they do to save the e-reader from disappearing?
Short of giving the tablet away for next to nothing -- taking the disposable razors approach of making the money back off the blades -- very little.
I am for Yes
These two companies can continue to offer deals on the hardware and make profits from the content and I think we will eventually see free e-reader hardware from them as they attempt to "sell" the e-reader to the mass market. They could release books first for e-readers and then roll out paper copies a month or so later to get people to buy e-readers for timely new content. I doubt they would anytime soon, but they could also take the drastic step of selling almost all of their books in electronic form. I understand that some are never published for electronic distribution and some don't work well in this form.
I am for No
If e-readers are becoming a niche category, what does the consumer base look like? Who would want to buy them, and why?
I can think of a few different consumer markets:
- People who buy gadgets because they love gadgets.
- Technophobes who don't want tablets.
- Kids.
- People who received them as gifts.
I am for Yes
The Kindle and Nook devices appear to be selling well, but we don't get detailed breakdown figures on what kind of devices (tablets or eInk e-readers) are doing so well. It could be that the Kindle Fire and Nook tablets are the only devices really selling with people focused on the media experience, but with the software improvements from both companies in the ebook space I have to believe that the e-readers are still doing well.
The e-reader market has always been a rather niche market, but I see more people on my train commute and at work using Amazon Kindle eInk devices today than I ever have before. I do not believe there is yet a real need for tablets and for many people they cannot justify the high price of a tablet for questionable uses. It is much easier to spend $75 to $115 on a Kindle to read books on the go than it is to spend hundreds on a tablet that might just sit and collect dust.
I am for No
If e-readers go the way of the dinosaur, what businesses might suffer the most? Manufacturers? Supply chain partners? Or booksellers?
The biggest loser as far as I can see will be the E-Ink Corporation, the makers of the displays used in e-readers.
I am for Yes
While I am a fan of e-readers, it wouldn't be the end of the world for me if I had to use my tablet or go back to reading paper books. They offer me a very convenient way to read books, but I still enjoy paper books and love the physical bookstore experience. I think Amazon and Barnes & Noble, along with book publishers, would be just fine if e-readers were eliminated. Manufacturers could likely transition to other businesses, but they may experience cutbacks since a market would be eliminated.
I think one of the most impacted would be those making accessories for the large e-reader market, but even these companies could then focus on tablets and smartphones.
I am for No
Are there other devices on the market (i.e. point-and-shoot digital cameras) vulnerable to the same kinds of risks because of mobile devices? Which ones might we see eliminated next?
can see a few vulnerable devices, including:
- Point-and-shoot cameras
- In-car GPS receivers
- Standalone media players, including the iPod
I am for Yes
I never carry a point-and-shoot anymore and while smartphones still aren't up to the same quality, I don't print photos and a smartphone works perfectly well for capturing what I need and sharing those moments online. My smartphone is also always with me so it has already replaced a camera for me. We have seen the dedicated GPS device go away for the most part and I know that my smartphone is my portable navigation device as well as my communication device.
I have tried using my smartphones for tracking my runs and they do a good job, but a dedicated GPS watch is much more convenient and I prefer such a dedicated, single purpose device. Single purpose devices seem to excel at their purpose more than a smartphone that does a decent job at many tasks. I doubt these new mobile devices will replace e-readers, DSLR cameras, and fitness watches.
I am for No
Thanks to both gentlemen for a great debate. Check in Wednesday for the closing statements. And Thursday for the verdict.
Rachel for doing a great job and Matthew for giving me a tough debate. Let's see who wins.
I am for Yes
I enjoyed the debate, now I am off to read an e-book without distractions :)
I am for No
Adrian Kingsley-Hughes
Matthew Miller
Rachel King
This was actually a very hard decision for me to make as I think both gentlemen made some solid points. After racking my brain over this issue for a considerable time, I ended up leaning towards the niche argument, thus giving the win this week to Matt Miller.
But first let me say that there were definitely several issues on which I agreed strongly with Adrian. For one, I’m a minimalist. So I prefer buying, owning, and carrying around as few electronic devices as possible. I have owned Nook e-readers in the past, but I have consolidated and typically only read on my iPad 2 and smartphone now. It also just gets too expensive to buy (and later upgrade) more gadgets all of the time.
However, I still find the reading experience -- especially outdoors -- to be far, far better on electronic-ink displays than on virtually any tablet or smartphone with a color display.
That said, there are still a few spots where technology hasn’t caught up -- although that’s not to say it won’t within the next few years, if not sooner.
So there are some categories, such as e-readers and digital cameras, where it is still difficult to defend the consolidation argument still. For example, I still own a point-and-shoot camera (the Canon PowerShot S100) because it’s incredibly portable and snaps high-quality photos...while my Samsung Galaxy Nexus just doesn’t.
As the technology to make them advances and becomes more affordable, e-book readers will continue to drop in price, making them more appealing to consumers who don’t care or want all of the features that come with a more expensive tablet.
Furthermore, being that they are cheaper to produce and sell, e-readers could have a lot of potential in developing markets. While I don’t have figures for this, I would predict that e-readers could have some more educational use cases too and be distributed to students much like low-cost laptops.
Overall, while it will be downsized considerably in comparison to what it was during the last few years, I believe the dedicated e-reader segment can still exist as a niche market.
Posted by Rachel King