E-book Market Experiences Growth of 200%+

DUNSTABLE, ENGLAND, February 05, 2011 (Press-News.org) "In 2010, the global e-book market grew by more than 200% to exceed 90 million paid-for units," says Fiona Hoy, Market Analyst at Futuresource Consulting. "This equates to a value of more $900 million and was largely attributable to growth in the US region, which represented more than 80% of global revenues last year."

Rapid US e-book market growth and consumer adoption was predominantly driven by Amazon's loss-leading strategy on key e-book titles purchased through their Kindle store and Kindle app. A similar strategy was temporarily adopted in the UK.

"Moving forward, the global balance will begin to shift, with the USA contributing just over half of global revenues by 2014," says Hoy.

"Looking to Western Europe, the region represented nearly 10% of global e-book revenues in 2010, with the UK market dominating. The European landscape exhibits many country differences, with Germany making some steady market gains and the Spanish market fraught with the challenges of piracy - echoing trends seen in its pre-recorded CD and DVD industry.

"For many countries across the region - including Italy and Spain - 2010 was the first full year that e-readers were readily available at retail. However, sparse local language titles and limited paid-for e-book services acted as key obstacles to legitimate paid-for e-book market growth. However, as local-language content and demand develops, Western Europe's share of global e-book revenues will grow significantly, contributing in excess of $6 billion towards global revenues in 2014."

Legally free e-books (predominantly out of copyright) continue to play an important role and although they may detract from paid-for sales in the UK and USA, they do provide legitimate content in countries like Italy and Spain where paid-for services are yet to fully develop, providing consumers with a legitimate alternative to pirated content and instilling a sense of legitimacy to the business. The launch of Google's eBook service in Europe will have significant impact, providing a recognizable branded service offering millions of free legitimate titles alongside paid-for content. Additionally, the service allows for storing purchased books in the cloud, ensuring they can be accessed across multiple devices enabling consumers to reap the benefits of heightened competitive forces within the marketplace.

Despite Apple's entry into the e-book market in the second half of 2010, Futuresource research shows that Amazon retained its leadership in the US e-book market last year, significantly ahead of its competitors. Amazon established a similar position in the UK despite only entering the market in August 2010.

The dynamics of the business are expected to rapidly evolve in the years ahead, with ad funded and subscription library services likely to emerge alongside added value and interactive titles which will enhance the consumer experience and blur the boundaries between books and other entertainment platforms.

Futuresource will be hosting the Futuresource Entertainment Summit in London again this year, taking place on 16 and 17 June. Topics will include the rise of digital content delivery, convergent devices vs. dedicated devices, and the business opportunities presented by new home entertainment technologies, platforms and delivery systems. For more information visit http://www.fes2011.com.

Notes
Futuresource Consulting is a specialist research and knowledge-based consulting company, providing organisations with insight into consumer electronics, digital imaging, entertainment media, broadcast, storage media, education technology and IT. With a heritage stretching back to the 1980s, the company delivers in-depth analysis and forecasts on a global scale, advising on strategic positioning, market trends, competitive forces and technological developments.
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Futuresource Consulting is a specialist research and knowledge-based consulting firm with a heritage stretching back to the 1980s. The company provides market insights into consumer electronics, digital imaging, entertainment media, broadcast, optical manufacturing, storage media, professional IT and education technology.