Why the Amazon Kindle Will Remain THE Ebook Reader Tomorrow

Okay, so on this little homage to the Amazon Kindle Reader, we’ve seen why Amazon got to be the first big name in ebook readers, and how they maintained that position. I guess its time to get out the crystal ball and see what the future of the Kindle looks like…

Well, firstly let me categorically state that I don’t work for Amazon, Lab126 or anyone that knows anything about producing gadgets, or marketing new technology. But I do like a good game of hide and seek, and love reading tech news sites a LOT!

So with that in mind, I’ve been keeping my nose to the ground and finding out some really great tit-bits regarding what the Kindle 4 will bring.

1. Well, first off, there is unlikely to simply be one new ebook reader to buy. Oh no, we’re talking multiple devices, and that is great news for gadget fans. First of a touch-screen version of their current reader looks likely, along with a more basic model similar to the current 6″ readers but with a price under the $100 mark. Secondly expect to see two new tablets probably branded with the Kindle name.
2. We’re likely to see more sponsored ads deals, to keep the pricing down.
3. More and more newspapers, magazines and journals will be available.
4. More interactive capability. You can ask authors questions, follow what books others are reading, and share your thoughts and book reviews.
5. Easier and more widespread library lending.
6. The ability to download not just books, but music and perhaps film to the 4th generation reader, and the tablet counterparts.
7. Eventually we expect a hybrid product which can switch between e-ink and LCD displays, but that looks more likely in another few years, not in 2011, unfortunately.

The key reason Amazon will remain the name we think of when looking at electronic readers will be their price-tag. Because the store can claw back cash on all the content they supply, the devices themselves will become ever cheaper. In fact who knows, we might even see free Kindles supplied to all Amazon Prime customers, or some similar promotion to get us all wireless downloading new material.

 

 

Why the Kindle Is Still THE Ebook Reader Today

So, we know why the Kindle became so popular originally. But that was in the long-lost days of 2007. How on earth has it remained the leading ebook reader we know today?

Well, of course the reasons for its success haven’t gone away. It’s still branded with a name consumers trust and importantly a name consumers regularly turn too. But there have been some important changes along the way, that have really helped cement the terms Amazon and Kindle reader into our subconscious when we think of electronic reading devices:

1. the ability to download books wirelessly, and to shop whilst using the device, without the help or hindrance of a PC has been the big selling point of the current generation readers. Sony may have well equipped devices that look great, but without wireless content delivery they seem kind of old hat!
2. the largest selection of content all in one store. True, other devices allow users to shop around far more because they can cope with formats such as ePub which are most widely used by publishers of electronic reading material. But only the Kindle can browse the huge stock of .azw files formatted perfectly for them, in one place.
3. the addition of subscription content such as journals, newspapers and magazines have made the modern ebook reader a must have item on the commute.
4. the continual innovation, which has brought us far improved displays, increased memory and phenomenal battery life have taken the Kindle way beyond much of the competition.
5. Amazon’s service which is beyond brilliant means that even when mistakes, or problems do occur customers know they will be dealt with swiftly and without issue.
6. new software upgrades are also delivered wirelessly to the device, meaning users don’t have to worry about doing anything to keep their device up to date.
7. working straight out of the box, this is a gadget for those with no desire to understand or care how electronics work!

Of course one of the prime reasons for the success of the current Kindles is their price. Getting below the $200 mark was a real turning point, and since then if you don’t mind the odd advertisement you can actually have a reader for as little as $114! There are currently three main readers to choose from; the Kindle 3 is the most popular with its 6″ display it really does take the place of the humble paperback. It comes in two versions; one has wi-fi wireless capabilities whilst the other (more expensive) model has both 3G and wi-fi access. The larger DX model is hardly seen these days, but still has its fans even though it doesn’t come with wi-fi and is far more expensive.

Why the Kindle Became THE Ebook Reader

Okay okay, I know very well that there are many different ebook readers around today. No-one could ignore the cutely named Nook from Barnes & Noble, or the stylish designs of Sony’s range of eReaders. However, the sales prove that when most of us think of an electronic reading device, we’re actually simply thinking of an Amazon Kindle Reader.

So how is it, that a store built on selling old-fashioned paper books, could come to dominate such a massive earning part of the technology sector? It isn’t all that surprising when you consider the following:

1. Amazon are already in our homes. So many of us shop with them, it was pretty easy to put the idea of their original Kindle into our consciousness. Now all their Kindle readers are advertised on the Amazon home page – so we see them every time we go shopping.
2. Amazon were already selling to book-lovers. Upselling them a new way to save money and space made sense.
3. the demographic with the disposable income, and the use for an electronic reader was just right at the beginning too. The originals were a little pricey, but they had tons of advantages for the over 50s who read a lot.
4. the tie-in with a range of ebooks sold on Amazon was the killer point I think. If it hadn’t been for the content advantage the chances are someone like Sony would have taken the top slot early on.
5. the retailer had a great trust advantage. Our credit card details are already stored securely with them, and who hasn’t heard just how good their customer service is.

That gives us a little idea of how the original reader became such a success. But move on four years to today, and why are they still the most popular reading device in the West? We’ll have a little look at that next time! And, we might even find out what the Kindle 4 will become next time around too.

If you’re feeling a little nostalgic, check out how “new” the first reader seemed…