Lion Publishing Services - Paperless Publishing – The Future Of Books
The impending release of the Apple iPad and the
restructuring of the pricing system for e-books will change the game, and
publishers, authors, and consumers will need to adjust in the new digital
publishing world.
Impact Of the iPad:
When the iPad lands in the hands of consumers in the spring
of 2010, the publishing market will change overnight. By al account, the full
color iPad will be an upgrade over the black and white Amazon Kindle, its
closest competitor, as well as the Sony eReader, and the Barnes and Noble Nook.
Apple's iPad, essentially a larger version of the iPod Touch, will retail for a
low as $499, and its iBook application will place customers clicks away from a
virtual bookstore. Additionally, Apple has already pushed for bew eBook prices,
a move welcomed by publishers who have complained about Amazon’s $9.99 eBook
price for some time.
Publishers Come Abroad:
There is no longer any question about the lasting appeal of
digital publishing. Publishers who are not planning for dual programs in print
and electronic publishing will be left behind by those that do. The new price
deals with Apple, which will make eBook slightly more expensive to consumers
and therefore slightly more profitable for publishers, should make the decision
to jump into E-publishing a lot easier for publishers. Many professionals like Lion Publishing Services
who is actively involved in E-publishing prefers online mediums to publish
as it eliminates expensive printing and warehousing costs, and supply problems.
The Changing Role Of Authors:
In the past, the path to success for authors was usually via
a publishing house. However, authors that embrace digital publishing will
largely be able to control their own path. Authors now have the option to turn
to electronic self-publishing. And this isn’t a bad thing. Because the same
cost saving advantages of E-publishing exist for authors as they do for
publishers, authors can write and self-publish electronically at low costs.
Authors will be able to control their work and their profit to a degree that
didn’t exist just a short time ago.
Where Does This Leave Consumers?
Ultimately, the big winner in the coming digital publishing
world will be the consumer. True, the cost of an e-reader is fairly expensive
at the moment, which creates a very real barriers between publishers and its
customers. However, it is very likely that the prices of e-readers will begin
to drop due to heavy competition.
The $499 price for the iPad, which many thoughts would be
considerably higher is a good indication that prices should begin to drop in an
effort to entice more buyers. Once customers have an e-reader, they’ll have
immediate access to a full range of titles at low costs, even with the eventual
price change from the current Kindle standard of $9.99.
What It All Means:
In the end, the impact of digital publishing and how
publishers respond to it will be guided by consumers. If people want to read
Ebook, they’ll cast their votes by spending their dollars. Publishers will be
forced to respond to the demand if they want to stay in business.
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