According to figures compiled by the digital forecaster API Research, tablet and e-reader sales are set to come in at a disappointing growth rate of 2.5% in 2014 (Digital Book World, 2014). In response to these figures, publishers have had to facilitate their content in new ways. One way that has seen increased popularity amongst publishers is collaborating with companies that offer web-based ebook subscription services.
It seems unlikely that publishers would consider figures that show sales of Apple’s iPad down by 13% in the first six months of 2014 (Digital Book World, 2014) as anything but discouraging news. However the decrease in the sales of ebooks themselves in 2013 was not met with an entirely negative response by those in the industry. The decline was described as a ‘mixed blessing’ (Zacharius, 2013, cited in Milliot, 2013) and taken as a sign that the industry was becoming ‘a healthy, diverse marketplace’ (Steinberge, 2013, cited in Milliot, 2013). The decline in ebook sales has lead to wider number of distribution channels to facilitate book sales (Jim Milliot, 2013).
Currently the most promising form of technology for distributing content is in the form of cloud reading (Hidaglo, 2014, cited in Nawotka, 2014) as the feature that all tablets share is a web browser (Digital Book World, 2014). The recently resolved Amazon-Hachette dispute proves that the publisher’s role in regulating how and where readers read their content is crucial for business (Digital Book World, 2014).
Amazon launched its Lending Library in 2011 and Kindle Unlimited earlier this year so subscribers can borrow up to 700,000 titles to read on any e-reader device with the Kindle app (Amazon, 2014). Despite Amazon’s domination of the bookselling market, Kindle Unlimited might not prove to be the right option for publishers (Nawotka, 2014). Many publishers have been reluctant to invest in subscription services, for fear of cannibalising their download models (Curtis, 2014). Justo Hidaglo, co-founder of the subscription service 24symbols believes that ‘if publishers sign an exclusive agreement with Amazon now, they will be complaining for another five years. If they open their minds to finding the best service, they may find they have another opportunity’ (Hidaglo, 2014, cited in Nawotka, 2014).
The unlimited ebook subscription service Oyster which offers customers over 500,000 titles for a monthly cost (Digital Book World, 2014), announced earlier this month the launch of its web reader. Six of the ten largest publishers in the world have jumped at this opportunity and formed a partnership with Oyster, as about a third of ebook readers regularly read on the web (Stromberg, 2014, cited in Digital Book World, 2014).
Earlier this month Oyster 'Book Lists' which allows users to share personalized lists of ebooks within Oyster’s e-reading platform and on social media (Bellis, 2014) which improves the discoverability of titles. The popularity of social media and web-based content means that it is likely that publishers will continue to create content for web-based facilitators and collaborate with subscription companies to distribute ebook titles.
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Reference List:
Amazon. (2014). Introducing Amazon Unlimited. Available: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/feature.html/ref=sv_kstore_2?ie=UTF8&docId=1000823873 (Accessed 17 October 2014).
Bellis, R. (2014). Amazon Lags in Global Tablet Sales. Digital Book World. Digital Book World. Available at: http://www.digitalbookworld.com/2014/amazon-lags-in-global-tablet-sales/ (Accessed 17 October 2014).
Bellis, R. (2014). Oyster Invites Authors’ Input on Business Model, Launches Literary Journal. Digital Book World. Available at: http://www.digitalbookworld.com/2014/oyster-invites-authors-input-subscription-model-ebooks/ (Accessed 24 November 2014).
Curtis, S. (2014). Amazon unviels Kindle Unlimited ebook subscription service. The Telegraph, 18 July. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/amazon/10976899/Amazon-unveils-Kindle-Unlimited-ebook-subscription-service.html (Accessed 24 November 2014).
Digital Book World. (2014). Rethinking ebooks for web browsers. Digital Book World. Available at: http://www.digitalbookworld.com/2014/rethinking-ebooks-for-web-browsers/ (Accessed 17 October 2014).
Digital Book World. (2014). Tablet Growth Disapoints in First Half of 2014, iPad Sales Down, Samsung up. Digital Book World. Available at: http://www.digitalbookworld.com/2014/tablet-growth-disappoints-in-first-half-2014-ipad-sales-down-samsung-up/ (Accessed 17 October 2014).
Digital Book World. (2014). Webcast: Building Ebooks for Web Browsers—Tools for Developers, Strategies for Publishers. Digital Book World. Available at: http://www.digitalbookworld.com/2014/webcast-building-ebooks-for-web-browsers-tools-for-developers-strategies-for-publishers/ (Accessed 17 October 2014).
Milliot, J. (2013). A Mixed Blessing in Slowing E-book Sales. Publishers Weekly. Available at: http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/digital/retailing/article/60030-a-mixed-blessing.html. (Accessed 16 October 2014).
Nawotka, E. (2014). A “Critical Moment” for Ebook Subscription Services. Publishing Perspectives. Available at: http://publishingperspectives.com/2014/10/critical-moment-ebook-subscription-services/ (Accessed 18 October 2014)
Oyster. (2014) Oyster Now Available on Web and Mobile Browsers [Press Release]. 24 July. Available at: http://www.digitalbookworld.com/2014/oyster-goes-browser-based-now-on-all-mobile-devices/ (Accessed 18 October 2014).
It seems unlikely that publishers would consider figures that show sales of Apple’s iPad down by 13% in the first six months of 2014 (Digital Book World, 2014) as anything but discouraging news. However the decrease in the sales of ebooks themselves in 2013 was not met with an entirely negative response by those in the industry. The decline was described as a ‘mixed blessing’ (Zacharius, 2013, cited in Milliot, 2013) and taken as a sign that the industry was becoming ‘a healthy, diverse marketplace’ (Steinberge, 2013, cited in Milliot, 2013). The decline in ebook sales has lead to wider number of distribution channels to facilitate book sales (Jim Milliot, 2013).
Currently the most promising form of technology for distributing content is in the form of cloud reading (Hidaglo, 2014, cited in Nawotka, 2014) as the feature that all tablets share is a web browser (Digital Book World, 2014). The recently resolved Amazon-Hachette dispute proves that the publisher’s role in regulating how and where readers read their content is crucial for business (Digital Book World, 2014).
Amazon launched its Lending Library in 2011 and Kindle Unlimited earlier this year so subscribers can borrow up to 700,000 titles to read on any e-reader device with the Kindle app (Amazon, 2014). Despite Amazon’s domination of the bookselling market, Kindle Unlimited might not prove to be the right option for publishers (Nawotka, 2014). Many publishers have been reluctant to invest in subscription services, for fear of cannibalising their download models (Curtis, 2014). Justo Hidaglo, co-founder of the subscription service 24symbols believes that ‘if publishers sign an exclusive agreement with Amazon now, they will be complaining for another five years. If they open their minds to finding the best service, they may find they have another opportunity’ (Hidaglo, 2014, cited in Nawotka, 2014).
The unlimited ebook subscription service Oyster which offers customers over 500,000 titles for a monthly cost (Digital Book World, 2014), announced earlier this month the launch of its web reader. Six of the ten largest publishers in the world have jumped at this opportunity and formed a partnership with Oyster, as about a third of ebook readers regularly read on the web (Stromberg, 2014, cited in Digital Book World, 2014).
Earlier this month Oyster 'Book Lists' which allows users to share personalized lists of ebooks within Oyster’s e-reading platform and on social media (Bellis, 2014) which improves the discoverability of titles. The popularity of social media and web-based content means that it is likely that publishers will continue to create content for web-based facilitators and collaborate with subscription companies to distribute ebook titles.
Word count: 499
Reference List:
Amazon. (2014). Introducing Amazon Unlimited. Available: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/feature.html/ref=sv_kstore_2?ie=UTF8&docId=1000823873 (Accessed 17 October 2014).
Bellis, R. (2014). Amazon Lags in Global Tablet Sales. Digital Book World. Digital Book World. Available at: http://www.digitalbookworld.com/2014/amazon-lags-in-global-tablet-sales/ (Accessed 17 October 2014).
Bellis, R. (2014). Oyster Invites Authors’ Input on Business Model, Launches Literary Journal. Digital Book World. Available at: http://www.digitalbookworld.com/2014/oyster-invites-authors-input-subscription-model-ebooks/ (Accessed 24 November 2014).
Curtis, S. (2014). Amazon unviels Kindle Unlimited ebook subscription service. The Telegraph, 18 July. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/amazon/10976899/Amazon-unveils-Kindle-Unlimited-ebook-subscription-service.html (Accessed 24 November 2014).
Digital Book World. (2014). Rethinking ebooks for web browsers. Digital Book World. Available at: http://www.digitalbookworld.com/2014/rethinking-ebooks-for-web-browsers/ (Accessed 17 October 2014).
Digital Book World. (2014). Tablet Growth Disapoints in First Half of 2014, iPad Sales Down, Samsung up. Digital Book World. Available at: http://www.digitalbookworld.com/2014/tablet-growth-disappoints-in-first-half-2014-ipad-sales-down-samsung-up/ (Accessed 17 October 2014).
Digital Book World. (2014). Webcast: Building Ebooks for Web Browsers—Tools for Developers, Strategies for Publishers. Digital Book World. Available at: http://www.digitalbookworld.com/2014/webcast-building-ebooks-for-web-browsers-tools-for-developers-strategies-for-publishers/ (Accessed 17 October 2014).
Milliot, J. (2013). A Mixed Blessing in Slowing E-book Sales. Publishers Weekly. Available at: http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/digital/retailing/article/60030-a-mixed-blessing.html. (Accessed 16 October 2014).
Nawotka, E. (2014). A “Critical Moment” for Ebook Subscription Services. Publishing Perspectives. Available at: http://publishingperspectives.com/2014/10/critical-moment-ebook-subscription-services/ (Accessed 18 October 2014)
Oyster. (2014) Oyster Now Available on Web and Mobile Browsers [Press Release]. 24 July. Available at: http://www.digitalbookworld.com/2014/oyster-goes-browser-based-now-on-all-mobile-devices/ (Accessed 18 October 2014).