Despite the popularity of dual-purpose devices, a study from the Book Industry Study Group has determined that around 40% of US adults who have read ebooks own a Kindle, while only 27% read ebooks on their iPad (Greenfield, 2013). Despite tablets additional features Kindles and other ereaders in general are the most popular format to read an ebook. This statistic is due to the simplicity and lack of additional features that a tablet would possess; reading a Kindle could be considered more similar to reading a tangible book rather than through a device with multimedia functionality. Although with physical books you have ‘the tactile sense of progress’, with the awareness of pages being turned; a Kindle has a basic purpose, akin to a books turning pages (Flood, 2014). Does this mean that simplicity within ereaders makes them increasingly more popular?
Since the introduction of the iPad at the beginning of 2010, according to Pew Internet & American Life Project, about a third of US adults own one (Greenfield, 2013). Given this information, and with the knowledge of a tablets many other purposes, does this large percentage support the digital publishing industry? Although more consumers with tablets mean an increase in ownership of an e-reading device; due to tablets not focusing solely on ebooks, tablets can be used for additional media consumption rather than reading. This growth can be considered a ‘double-edge sword for publishers of ebooks’ not confirming whether the increase in tablet purchasers means an increase in ebook sales (Greenfield, 2013).
It could be argued that publishers should include an ebook copy when purchasing a novel, allowing for markets, both physical and electronic, to thrive and collaborate, rather than compete. The St. Ives Group found that ‘those who read both physical and ebooks get through about 50% more than those who only use one format’ (Carter, 2014). This figure should prompt publishers to combine both physical and printed copies, allowing for more to be read, and more to clearly be purchased. Although a growing trend in electronic literature, a developing consensus I feel to be evident is that the purchasing of physical books is still prevalent within society.
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