We're only in the early chapters of the novel, but the Great E-Reader Revolution has been mildly disappointing so far.
An Ars Technica article recalls that E-Ink-based e-readers dominated January's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas (along with 3-D TV). But six months later, the market is seeing precious few new entries to challenge Amazon.com's (Nasdaq: AMZN) Kindle. The article asks, "Did Apple's (Nasdaq: AAPL) iPad launch throw a big, fat monkey wrench into the industry's plans?"
I agree that iPad's hype and strong sales can't help but take mindshare and market share from dedicated e-readers. I'm quite sure we'll see plenty of new entries in the coming year, however, including more that work with Google's (Nasdaq: GOOG) Android OS.
But the question remains: What kind of business success will they have against the Kindle and iPad juggernauts? I know I'll eventually have an e-reader, but because of the strength and ease of the Amazon and Apple stores, I strongly suspect I'll stick with one of those two purveyors. The idea of a proven "platform" around e-readers is especially strong. The potential lack of deals and distribution that Apple and Amazon can create for their e-readers seems like a dealbreaker for most consumers pondering an Android-based rival. Also, Apple and Amazon give users more assurance that they'll support their platforms over the long term. There’s nothing preventing Amazon from releasing an e-reading app for Android also, but users will be relying on continued third party support.
Please let me know your thoughts in the comments box below. Would you look beyond Amazon or Apple for your e-reading pleasure? Why or why not? Perhaps I'll quote you in a future article on the subject.
