By Edward Nawotka
Is the E Ink e-reader dead in developing markets?
- No, but it will remain a niche product (43%, 25 Votes)
- No (34%, 20 Votes)
- Yes (23%, 13 Votes)
Total Voters: 58
Loading ...Today’s feature story looks at the launch of Iba, a new e-reading platform in Brazil. At present the company is focusing its efforts on both tablets and PCs, bypassing the traditional e-reader. Increasingly, in the most advanced developing markets — Brazil and China, in particular — this pattern seems to be taking hold. Tablets and e-readers are increasingly closer in price, and in developing economies where users aren’t likely to own multiple devices, the limited functionality of an e-reader looks like a bad bargain in comparison with the tablet. Likewise, those who cannot afford a true tablet are likely to either delay their purchase of a device until and will continue to rely on what they already own, such as a PC or a phone, until prices come down further.
So tell us, with tablet prices crashing, is the e-ink reader dead in developing markets? Or is there still potential for it to hang on as a niche device for avid users who prefer the lower power consumption and black-and-white high contrast screen?
2 Comments
When a new generation of e-readers with color display arrives in the market, its advantages will be more evident to people who reads books and magazines. The exprience of reading in a e-reader in far more better then reading in tablets.
In Brazil, at least, most people prefer tablets because e-reader prices are so high – people don’t like paying US$1000 for an iPad, but they do; people can’t see the point on paying US$500 on a device that’s meant only for reading, so they don’t. If Amazon brings the Kindle at a reasonable price, I believe that might change, at least for heavy readers.