PwC
8
eReaders are ideal reading devices for mass
market books
At first sight, eReaders compare poorly
to other reading devices with respect to
photos, color content, add-on content, and
touch screen navigation. However, they
perform much better than other devices
in terms of legibility, battery operating
time and weight, attributes that are very
important for the consumption of mass
market titles. eReaders permit lengthy
and undisturbed reading of eBooks; the
eyes are not fatigued when they look at
the screen, as is the case with LED displays
with background lighting. In addition, a
long battery operating time of up to several
weeks and a low weight (about 200 to 300
grams, or 7 to 10 ounces) also result in
positive assessments.
In terms of a target group, the eReader is
therefore clearly designed to appeal to avid
readers. Traditionally, these are women
between 30 and 60 years of age, who read
several times a week and purchase many
books each year. In addition, eReaders are
suitable for professional applications, for
instance in the publishing environment
when the focus is on reading lengthy
texts. For these large-volume readers who
are interested in the content and not the
format of the book, eReaders provide an
excellent experience that is close to that
of reading a genuine book and also enable
numerous books to be read in parallel.
On the other hand, eReaders are less
convenient for special interest literature,
newspapers, and magazines. These
publications often require readers to skip
between pages and chapters and search
the text for words and phrases. Today’s
eReaders perform poorly in these areas.
Current eInk technology cannot jump
instantly from one screen to another: it
requires a moment for existing text and
images to disappear and then another
moment for the new page to appear. In
addition, photographs and illustrations
may not display well on an eInk display,
as the screen lacks color and backlighting.
Future eReaders may overcome these
limitations.
Tablets for occasional readers and for
professional use
PCs and tablets offer many advantages
for reading special interest literature. It
is possible for content to be displayed in
color, which means that tablets are also
attractive for selected mass market titles
with additional multimedia content.
The most prominent example of such a
presentation form is probably the iPhone
and iPad adaption of Alice in Wonderland,
in which illustrations are enriched with
audio commentary and combined with
music and special effects. Such products
will be attractive mainly for younger and
technophile consumers who tend to read
only extracts of books. However, tablets are
also particularly suitable for newspapers
and periodicals; in the final analysis,
the integrated mobile access enables
the user to source publishing content
directly at any time or as a subscriber. In
addition, photos can be displayed in high
resolution, and the device can turn pages
and follow hyperlinks without delay,
which is a particularly important aspect for
publishing products.
As multifunction devices, tablets are
attractive for a larger target group.
Particularly positive aspects are their
user-friendliness and the integrated shop
function, e.g. in the iBooks and Kindle
apps, which reduce the resistance to
buying eBooks and which provide access to
a wide eBook range.
Disadvantages include the backlit display,
the heavier weight, and the lower battery
operating time. Tablets are therefore less
suitable as a permanent reading device,
particularly as they are, at present, much
more expensive than corresponding
eReaders. The disadvantages affect laptops
to a greater extent, which means that a
laptop appears even less suitable for mass
market titles.
Typical tablet users are interested in
using their devices for many purposes
– including, at times, reading eBooks.
In addition, tablets are a handy reading
device for newspapers and periodicals
because they combine up-to-date
information with multi-media content,
colored forms of presentation and linking
and overview functions. Alternative
possibilities of use include mobile work
environments or increased use of special
interest literature and reference works in
which the user has to perform many search
operations. Tablets, and in particular
laptops, are also more suitable for special
interest literature than eReaders because
they enable the reader to turn pages
quickly and provide the possibility of
further research.
Smartphones will not be primary reading
devices
As primary reading devices, smartphones
are less conventient for either mass market
or special-interest literature – although
they would be suitable as a secondary
device given their greater penetration
density. The constant availability is a
key advantage. For this purpose, eBook
providers make apps for smartphones. The
key disadvantage of smartphones is their
small display, which is problematic with
regard to reading large amounts of text
over an extended period of time. On the
other hand, they are suitable for eBooks
with graphics or short mobile novels,
which are written specifically for mobile
phones. Smartphone apps also allow users
a convenient way to read while “killing
time” on daily commutes, in doctors’ offices
or in between classes.
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