The size of the book reader market is a matter that the Taiwan hardware and publishing industries have continually been concerned about. The MIC, III, estimates that the total number of e-book readers delivered in 2009 will be 3 million units and this number will rise to 19.76 million in 2013. As for estimated output value, it will be US$749 million in 2009 and will rise to 4.196 billion in 2013. The predicted compound annual growth rate from 2009 to 2013 is 71.9%.

As a result of active efforts by Amazon, Sony and other key companies and growing emphasis on “environmental protection” by reducing energy use and carbon emissions  over the last few years, the paperless book reader market has developed. Senior industry analysts with the MIC, Chen Si-xian, said that e-book readers have a wide area of use and use has moved from “reading for leisure and entertainment” use to “reading work documents” and “reading to learn” uses, to an extent meeting user requirements for touch screen, memory card slot, relatively large screen, virtual personal library and other beneficial features. In the future e-book readers must meet the personal requirements of more users, he said. 

The MIC predicts that the focal point of e-reader display technology competition will move from offering a paper-like visual experience to a book-like visual and tactile experience, even an audile experience. Image processing, color display, touch controlled page turning and writing input will be the keys to success for companies.

Kindle carried out teaching trials using e-book readers but the results were disappointing, the reason being, while e-book readers are light and convenient, they did not satisfy students’ need to take notes. If e-book reader companies can carry out in depth research into book users and find needs that are met and ones that aren’t in the consumption experience, a good future can be expected for e-book readers.

It is expected that in the next few years the process of value transfer in the e-book reader industry supply chain will see value move from software, content and service to e-reader hardware manufacturing and assembly, including – reader contract manufacturers, Monochrome E-Reader Display, Color E-Reader Display, Driver IC, Controller IC, USB Controller IC and Wireless Communication IC companies Taiwan enjoys a hardware advantage and TELDAP has accumulated a substantial amount of digital resources in aesthetics, culture, history, flora and fauna, minerals, news, architecture and many other areas. If problems relating to copyright management and licensing laws can be overcome, this digital treasure trove will be made available to e-readers and editors quickly and easily.

Market Intelligence & Consulting Institute, III： e-Reader deliveries set to reach almost 2000 units by 2013
http://mic.iii.org.tw/intelligence/pressroom/pop_pressFull.asp?sno=188&cred=2009/9/25&type1=2