E-books have long suffered from a case of 'love 'em or hate 'em'; seen by some as an inferior usurper of their beloved bound versions, and by others as a gateway to limitless literature.
But it seems negative sentiments are being overtaken by the desire for more content, more conveniently, as the e-book market booms globally. In November, e-book sales were set to make just under $1 billion by end 2010, tripling to reach $3 billion in 2015, according to Forrester Research.
Amazon still dominates the market, with around 60% share, according to publishing information agency RR Bowker, but retailers like Apple and Barnes & Noble are following close on its heels.
Then there's the latest addition to the race for digital dominance, Google's eBooks store. Amazon and Apple typically used closed models, whereby users of the Kindle, for example, cannot access public library e-books. However, Amazon has released applications for making content available on PCs and other devices, including the iPad, although Apple hasn't returned the favour. Google's e-books can be downloaded and accessed on various devices, including laptops, tablets, smartphones and various e-readers (although notably not the Kindle).
With a seeming prescience for the e-book's meteoric rise, Google began putting together a digital library in 2004, and now has more than three million volumes available on the eBooks platform. Many of these are free, public domain works, but also include titles for sale from major publishers.
The search giant says it has digitised about 15 million books since starting this process seven years ago, although here has been some controversy surrounding the project.
“E-books' greatest advantage, says Arthur Attwell, CEO of local digital publishing company Electric Book Works, is that you can buy them instantly.
“If you see an interesting book, you can download it onto your smartphone or PC and read it right away; nothing currently in publishing can offer something as immediate.“
Where Google differs from its competitors is that its e-book store resides in the cloud, so it's accessible via any device with a Web browser, effectively allowing users to stream books.
Attwell doesn't believe Google's offering is anything revolutionary, as its two methods of distributing books are online, or for download using the open ePub standard. “It's just jumped into the pool along with Amazon, Apple, and Adobe,” says Attwell.
One of the bugbears for the e-book industry is the issue of platforms and interoperability, with digital rights management (DRM, referred to by some as 'digital restrictions management') limiting what users can do with their content. Attwell explains that Apple and Amazon use DRM because once someone has bought from them, they usually keep coming back to avoid having to download an app to use another service.
“So as retailers, they use DRM to keep the walled gardens in place. Amazon does let publishers distribute DRM-free titles, but publishers believe DRM keeps their books from getting pirated, so they continue using it.”
Nothing currently in publishing can offer something as immediate.
Arthur Attwell, CEO, Electric Book Works
Adobe, on the other hand, makes its money from the small fee levied when people download books using its software platform, which adds up for the company.
“The sorry part of it is, I wouldn't expect any consumer or publisher to understand why these three DRM services exist - it's still somewhat of an opaque forest,” says Attwell. He suspects the three schemes will remain for some time and doesn't have high hopes for the trio working together anytime in future.
Ben Williams, editor of literary network Book SA, says: “It would be great to have one DRM system, but it's not going to happen as the various players have too much vested interest.”
Apart from Amazon, other e-book retailers like Apple and Google are only available to US credit card holders, and it's likely to stay that way for a while, says Williams. “Once everyone can sell wherever they want, the big three may battle it out for dominance.”
DIY digital
The publishing industry used to have a pretty straightforward model, but then the digital age arrived and began messing with the blueprint.
Mark Seabrook, digital director at New Holland Publishing SA, believes the current publishing value chain is becoming disrupted.
“The relationship between publisher and author will begin to change; the relationship between publisher and retailer will begin to change; and the relationship between traditional retailer and consumer will begin to change.
“What will drive this change will be everyone questioning and re-evaluating how much they really need the 'other' partner in order to achieve their goals,” he says.
Self-publishing is a trend which allows would-be JK Rowlings to avoid the hunt for a willing publisher and simply do it themselves - at a cost of course - and hopefully establish a decent following.
Seabrook adds that established authors, in particular, could see self-publishing as a useful option. “A published author who is on their third of fourth book has created their own brand and already has an established audience. They don't need a publisher to market it, which is an important requirement for a first-time author.”
This puts authors who have already proved their mettle in a more controlling position, and publishers will have to work harder to keep authors, says Seabrook. These developments are changing the dynamics of the traditional publishing chain.
“In the future, if publishers are not able to offer their authors digital versions of their works and be able to place these with the leading e-book retailers, I believe authors will consider dealing directly with these retailers.”
The traditional relationship between publishers and retailers is also shifting, as the digital space now allows them to sell directly to consumers. Also, in certain niche categories, such as military history, for example, it's easier to sell directly to people who are interested, like an online historical community, instead of via a retailer, adds Seabrook.
In terms of retailers and consumers, the model is also undergoing flux. “Previously, if someone wanted to buy a book their options were limited, they'd typically go to a CNA or Exclusive Books,” notes Seabrook. “In the digital age you can buy a book pretty much anywhere - you're not limited to local retailers, so the traditional bookstores will have to work harder to compete.”
According to Williams, digital publishing is the topic dominating publishing conversations among the literati, not just in SA but everywhere, mainly due to its success in the US and UK.
“The timing of the digital publishing revolution coincided with the great global recession, which had a huge effect on publishers,” notes Williams. He adds that the economic blues also meant fewer pennies in the bank for splurging on bestsellers, dealing the book business a heavy blow. “Borders, the second biggest bookstore in the US, is on the brink of bankruptcy,” notes Williams.
“It's been a tough couple of years for publishers, and digital publishing has been both a redemptive strategy for publishing and brought new types of publishers, which threaten traditional publishing to a degree.”
He describes this period as an “interregnum”, the space between two modes, when it's still unclear which will become the dominant form. “We're waiting for developing digital publishing models to emerge between the eras.
“On the one hand, it's the most creative space to be in. People are writing for digital publishing much more and it's affecting consumers far more rapidly than people expected. Writers and readers are simultaneously pushing the envelope and adapting.”
Print pirates
Up until now, the global demand for e-books has been low when compared to music or movies, says Seabrook, but adds that as demand grows, so will the availability of pirated e-books.
“Piracy is a huge problem,” adds Attwell - “you'll always have someone looking to get a book free online. The challenge for publishers is to make it so easy to buy and read e-books that people rather go to them because it's a trusted source.”
It would be great to have one DRM system, but it's not going to happen.
Ben Williams, editor, Book SA
He says there's also the question of whether book piracy has an impact on sales, which we don't know for sure.
Williams even suggests it could help drive sales, citing Tim O'Reilly, CEO of computer book publisher O'Reilly Media, who said the problem for authors isn't piracy, it's obscurity.
“Piracy is going to be a problem with e-books but it can also help boost popularity. If a book is pirated a lot, it shows it's in demand.”
Williams adds that the publishing industry has learnt some of the music industry's painful lessons, explaining that it's more open to change and not bringing the hammer down on all distribution ideas.
“No book is totally unlockable - all you need is a photocopier. Piracy will always be a big issue but e-book sales are such that they won't be destroyed by it.”
Attwell predicts the trend of e-book growth will continue, driven by the general spread of low-cost computing. He adds that many aspects of the print industry will shrink, with the predominate feature being lots more devices.
Love 'em or hate 'em', e-books are here to stay. The story of their future, however, still has an open-ending.
* Speak your mind: Are e-books the way of the future, or just another passing fad? Post your comments.
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