The digital world has revolutionized the way we consume information. We are now able to read books without any physical support, provided that the books in question are available as an e-book or an audiobook. Yes, audiobooks have taken the world by storm, and it seems they are here to stay. However, along with all of this comes a lot of questions. Some people may be wondering whether ebooks will take over books entirely; others might be asking themselves whether ebook or audiobook is better. A lot of us still feel confused about what might come in the future, and whether we should invest money in one type of reading material over another. This piece aims to shed some light on this complicated matter
When Did eBooks Start to Become Popular?
With the release of the Amazon Kindle in 2007, ebooks started to gain more popularity. The Kindle was a dedicated device for reading ebooks and came with free 3G access for downloading books. It also had a battery life of up to a week. In 2009, Amazon released the Kindle 2 with improved hardware, better navigation and larger storage capacity. A few months after the release of the Kindle 2, Amazon released the Kindle DX which
had a larger screen and was designed specifically for textbooks.
The e-reader market exploded after 2010 with more companies releasing their own devices such as Barnes & Noble’s Nook, Sony Reader and Kobo Reader. In 2010, Apple released its iPad which became one of the most popular devices for reading ebooks since it had a large colour screen and didn’t require users to be tied to a specific vendor such as Amazon or Barnes & Noble (although Apple does sell books through its iBooks Store).
Ebook sales continued to grow throughout 2011 and 2012 as more people got tablets and smartphones that made reading easier than ever before. However, ebook sales plateaued in 2015 and are now declining as more people prefer audiobooks over physical books or ebook versions of their favourite novels.
What about audiobooks?
Audiobooks have been around for a while, but they’ve only recently become popular. In the past, audiobooks were limited by the technology available. As a result, people had to sit at home and listen to audiobooks on their CD players or MP3 players.
The advent of smartphones, cloud computing and data plans has made audiobooks more accessible to the general public. Nowadays, you can listen to an audiobook anywhere: in your car, on your commute or even at the gym.
Audiobook sales doubled from 2014 to 2016, according to The New York Times. That’s a pretty impressive growth rate for such a short period of time!
And for good reason too — audiobooks are super convenient.
Can I still enjoy the feel of turning a page or the smell of a book?
The ebooks are here to stay. However, the traditional paper books will always be around. Humans have a need to touch and hold an object. The feel of turning the page is an experience that cannot be replicated with technology. The smell of a new book or the smell of an old one is not something that can be reproduced in an ebook.
Many people love to collect books and show them off on their shelves. It is a way to show off who they are and what they like in life. Stacks of books around a room make a person look smart and sophisticated. You do not get that from ebooks!
Another reason ebooks are here to stay is due to the cost. Ebooks are usually much cheaper than hardback or paperback versions of the same book. This is because there are no printing costs for ebooks, and no shipping costs if you buy them online.
There are also some people who do not enjoy reading at all but love listening to audiobooks. For these people, it does not matter if their device can fold into their pocket, or fits in the palm of their hand, what matters is whether it allows them to listen to the book they want without having to carry around a bulky CD case or cassette player
Will books and writing ever go away?
This is a question that I have been asked time and time again.
The simple answer is no.
Books are more popular than ever, but the way we consume books is changing. The majority of book sales now come from eBooks, audiobooks and Kindle, but that doesn’t mean physical books will go away.
Becoming a published author has evolved over the years. Now it’s easier than ever to get your work out into the world because of self-publishing services such as Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP).
In the past, it was difficult to get your book in front of an audience because you had to convince a literary agent or publishing company to accept your book.
The traditional route required you to publish with a publishing house, which took a lot of time and effort. The process included writing multiple drafts of each chapter, getting feedback from editors and then making revisions before being accepted for publication.
As we reach the end of this post, I’m sure you’ve come to some conclusions about digital books and bookstores on your own. For me, it’s all about variety. I love being able to choose audiobooks over ebooks or vice versa. At the end of the day, there really is no perfect way to read a book before bed anymore. I just hope someone figures out how to bring back real bookstores with a thriving community of readers with us.
This is only a reminder that technology will soon rule the world. On the one hand it is good and on the other hand it is not. I like to read a book with sheets, I don’t even like to read or watch a movie from my phone. However, in the modern world, you cannot simply avoid it.
Hey Bojana,
Yes, technology is ubiquitous in our era. We need to use it wisely. I understand your need to read a paper book, that’s what we are all accustomed to.
However, reading an ebook has many advantages, including adjusting the font, the font size and the spacing of the page. I think you should give it another shot!
Thanks for the comment, and thanks for stopping by!
Marios
This is one of the things that I am on the fence about. I love listening to books while I’m cleaning or cooking dinner. Heck, I do it when I am driving or yard work. When I am sitting down taking a load off, I would love to physically hold a book and read it. It maybe because I am old school and the world seem to be moving so quick these days. I see a lot of children even my own who cannot even write in cursive not to mention reading it is totally out. I get it, everything seems to revolve around technology and money I just see it everywhere nowadays. I do like the convenience of the whole idea, however. It saves paper, space, and labor in man hours to get to consumer from author. Good luck and I can’t wait to see all the comments and ideas for your website because it is very well put together and easy to navigate.
Kevin and Son
Hey Kevin and Son,
Thanks for the great comment.
I get your frustration. Technology is a tool, and we need to exercise our logic, to use ii wisely.
I understand you. I, sometimes, like to read a paper book. But I prefer eBooks for various reasons.
Thanks for stopping by!
Marios
My friend would be relieved to know that ebooks, audiobooks, and kindle are not going anywhere. She’s crazy about romance novels that she has a complete collection of her favorite author’s books. This was before the birth of the digital world.
In fact, she was disappointed when digital books became the “new norm.” She thought physical books will completely disappear so she learned to get used to the digital versions. Although she still buys physical books because she loves their smell and texture, she has learned to embrace ebooks, audiobooks, and kindle.
Reading her romance novels has become a part of her life since she was a teenager and couldn’t imagine her life without books, physical or digitized.
Thanks to technology, my friend can still read her favorite romance stories wherever she is in the world, as long as she has the tools. Internet connection and ebook reader, laptop, cellphone, or tablet.
Hey Alice,
I’m really glad that your friend is an avid reader. eBooks and eReaders have given us the opportunity to carry as many books as we want without the physical burden paper books have.
Paper books are not going anywhere; nor are ebooks. So, I think we should enjoy the best fo the two worlds
Thanks for stopping by!
Marios
Thank you for this post about the different types of books and if they are here to stay. I used to be solely a person who would get physical copies of books, but I finally got a kindle, and I learned that ebooks are just better for me, as I am constantly on the go, and moving to different places due to my job. I can take my kindle with me, and not worry about moving hundreds of books! On the Kindle, I have over 900 books. Could you imagine how hard it would be to move that many books every three years or so??
Hey Jessie,
Yeah, I can understand the pain 🙂
Really, that’s one of the reasons I prefer Kindle too.
Thanks for stopping by!
Marios