Kindle Not the Only Player to Ignite the E-books Market

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Burlingame, CA, and London, UK—October 4, 2010—With all the hype about the Kindle, and competition among Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Borders for readers’ hearts and minds, it’s easy to forget the impact of educational and professional publishing on the e-books market. Indeed, e-books encompass several distinct markets unfolding at different rates across the world's regions and with different dynamics at play, according to Outsell.

“With the additional impact of tablets, the e-books market is a kaleidoscope, and the latest innovations are adding more color and shapes,” said Ned May, Vice President and Lead Analyst, Outsell. “Publishers with limited resources are well-advised to become ‘fast followers,’ watching as more permanent models start to emerge, and then spending aggressively to catch up.”

Outsell forecasts the worldwide e-books market to grow at a CAGR of 42 percent from 2009 to 2012. Major e-book segments include the education market, at $1.8 billion, the consumer market at $1.5 billion, and the professional market at $1.3 billion.

In addition to continually monitoring the different markets at play, Outsell studies and analyzes data on buyer trends in the US, segmented by income level, age and gender, as well as seller trends. For instance:

Users: Men under 40 are most likely to download e-books for free, while women over 40 are most likely to buy them. Borrowing e-books from the library is concentrated among under-40 females.

Sellers: As new technologies facilitate more direct routes to readers, authors, publishers, distributors, retailers, and search engines are all beginning to compete. At the same time, a new class of digital book aggregators is emerging such as NetLibrary, ebrary and Credo Reference for academic content; and Safari Books Online, the joint venture between Pearson and O’Reilly Media, for professional content.

Outsell's report "Worldwide E-Books Market Size & Forecast Report, 2009-2012" can be purchased on the website athttp://www.outsellinc.com/store/products/930?refid=pr930.Journalists who would like to learn more from Ned May about the latest trends and the companies shaping them should contact Dawn Ringel, Warner Communications, 781-449-8456 ordawn@warnerpr.com. Previous size/share data and forecasts are also available.

ABOUT OUTSELL, INC.
Outsell is the only research and advisory firm focused on advancing the publishing and information industries. Our international team provides independent, fact-based analysis and actionable advice about competitors, markets, operational benchmarks, and best practices, so our clients thrive and grow in today's fast-changing digital and global environment. Outsell tracks and analyzes over 7,000 information industry companies, as well as the needs, habits, and spending patterns of advertisers, enterprise information buyers, and end users. Outsell’s headquarters are in Burlingame, CA, with offices in London and in Cambridge, MA. Seewww.outsellinc.com.

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