2010 is expected to be a bang-up year for e-book readers -- those gizmos that allow you to download and read hundreds of books, newspapers, and magazines on a single device. Among the major players are Sony (NYSE:SNE), Barnes & Noble (NYSE:BKS), and of course Amazon.com (NASDAQ:AMZN) with its groundbreaking Kindle.
Forrester Research (NASDAQ:FORR) yesterday released its predictions for new developments in e-readers and the e-book marketplace in 2010. Among the most intriguing is the possible proliferation of applications for the machines -- third party or otherwise. Think of how the app store enhances Apple's (NASDAQ:AAPL) iPhone, and then consider how an Amazon app store could turbo-charge the Kindle. Here’s how Forrester weighs in on apps for e-readers:
What kind of apps, you say? We think anything from a social reading app from Goodreads to an enterprise app from Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) or Oracle (NASDAQ:ORCL) would make eReaders vastly expand the possibilities for consumers and businesses.
I think such apps could be a strong catalyst that helps propel these e-readers closer to the mainstream. However, the one thing that would make a purchase almost a no-brainer for me would be the ability to check out books electronically from my library -- and that's something I didn't see mentioned in the Forrester report.
Would an app store make you more likely to buy an e-reader? Let us know below!
