Last year we reported that “sales of dedicated ebook readers may have peaked” according to figures from IHS iSuppi.
Some fans of the traditional grey-scale reader scoffed, as always clear that their chosen device provides the true, definitive reading experience and was a hand-down winner of tablets with their shorter batter life and glossier screens.
Despite this totemic belief in the future of the ereader, the retail figures suggest analysts may be onto something.
As reported last month, Barnes and Noble has lowered its forecasts for revenue at its NOOK Media spin-off.
The subsidiary was meant to be the company’s future yet it seems to be struggling to earn its way. That’s at least one ereader maker finding it harder to push the feature limited devices.
And anecdotally, a trip to the local Starbucks reveals fewer people sitting around coffee tables with their e-ink devices in hand.
Despite the affection some have for dedicated readers, the smart money remains on them becoming an incredibly niche sub-section of the ereading market.
