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Six Reasons Why Apple's iPad Won't Kill E-Readers

R. Colin Johnson | Date: 11-11-10 | Comments

When Apple's iPad was announced, some predicted that the days of the e-reader were numbered, but despite the meteoritic rise in popularity of touch-screen tablets, e-readers are increasing in popularity too.

Table of Contents:

Six Reasons Why Apple's iPad Won't Kill E-Readers

Apple will sell 12 million iPads in 2010, a rising tide that will float e-readers too.

Here are our top six reasons why the e-reader market continues to thrive despite the popularity of touch-screen tablets such as Apple's iPad:

1. Rising Tide Floats All Boats

As many as 12 million Apple iPads will be sold in 2010, with dozens of look-a-likes debuting soon. As a result of its success, Apple has validated the need for mobile electronics devices designed solely for content consumption, rather than creation (like laptops), thus swelling the market for all content consuming devices, including e-readers. A rising tide floats all boats.

2. Fraction of the Price

Apple's iPad's $500 price tag has already prompted e-reader manufacturers to drop their prices to as little as $100, a price differential that is expected to be maintained. An e-reader's bill-of-materials is a fraction of that for an Apple iPad, HP Slate, Samsung Galaxy or other touch-screen tablet. And the most expensive component in an e-reader�its electrophoretic display made by E-Ink�will be second sourced in 2011 from SiPix (subsidiary of AU Optronics, Taiwan) and Bridgestone Tire (Tokyo), driving down its price in pursuit of the $50 e-reader that will spur worldwide shipments to hundreds of millions.

3. Thinner and Lighter

An e-reader can be significantly thinner than a touch-screen tablet, and weighs as little as half as much. And the popular paperback-book sized e-reader (8.4 ounces) weighs two-thirds less than an iPad (25.8 ounces). The next generation of flexible electrophoretic displays will be even lighter, cutting their weight by as much as 40 percent more.

Next: Main Advantage E-Readers Have over Tablets: Battery Lifetime >>

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