The eBook reader hasn’t actually revolutionized the market, but some publishing officials are willing to concede that they’ve seen increased eBook sales.
Sales for the most popular books are in the hundreds, comparable to the number for the Sony Reader, which came out in 2006.
“The Kindle has increased awareness. Publishers have told me that in some cases the Sony numbers were double or triple to what they had been,” says Michael Smith, head of the International Digital Publishing Forum, which tracks e-book sales.
While Kindle owners are loving the device and reading more because of it, the eBook reader hasn’t come close to reaching critical mass just yet, most likely due to its steep price. The Kindle sells for $399.
Public sightings of eBook devices like the Kindle remain rare compared to iPods and even iPhones. But, the industry has jumped in. Companies like Hachette, Simon & Schuster and Random House use Sony Readers to review book manuscripts.
eBook sales are growing. The market was $6 million in 2002 and is now measured at around $33 million. Still, eBook sales are less than 1% of the $35 billion dollar publishing business.
More: Why eBook readers don’t stand a chance.
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