Book publishers somewhat shunned the true impact of the Internet on its industry until the introduction of electronic book readers, smartphones and tablet devices that enable ubiquitous access to a virtual library of hundreds of thousands of books. The introduction and adoption of these new devices and channels, however, has accelerated the shift away from printed book production. The introduction of tablet devices has also now started to impact the other publishing markets as well, including magazines and newspapers. Anecdotally, while the Internet and Web browsers offer a “lean forward” experience that is very successful for certain applications, many publishing-based applications are better suited for a “lean back” experience. Reading books and magazines are perfect examples of what the tablets and portable devices will support.
- Companies:
- Amazon.com
- People:
- Barnes