EBooks: changing the publishing industry, PwC

1.3 

Market Barriers

According to experts, obstacles are posed 

by the prices of electronic reading devices, 

the lack of compatibility of the devices with 

different formats, and restrictions posed by 

digital rights management (DRM).

Prices of eReaders are still too high

10

Even if the experts praise the attractiveness 

of eReaders, they are still too expensive 

for the mass market. In order to energize 

the market, eReaders should cost no more 

than €100 (about US$135). At this point, 

only the U.S. and lately also the German 

market seeing such affordable pricing. 

The publishing industry representatives 

involved in this survey were emphatic 

about low prices. They said that ideally 

a reader should cost about €50 (about 

US$70), with a few bestsellers already 

installed.

Devices

Availability of 

 content

Lower price

Changing  

consumer habits

Mobile connectivity

Additional content

User-friendliness

Free content

Fig. 4  Drivers for eBooks and eReaders in the opinion of the experts

very important

important

59%

38%

69%

24%

38%

55%

46%

43%

45%

34%

18%

46%

31%

31%

11%

33%

0%

50%

100%

25%

75%

10  Rate of exchange: 1€ = US$1.35

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