A recent study reveals a growing number of readers across the globe still prefer print books over the digital platforms like reading e-books in e-readers or in smartphones. The sale has not been hampered so much so in traditional print books as it were expected after introduction of the digital products. Although the content is available in various formats, but still readers like to spend time on print than gazing in screen.
The survey by PEW Research Centre shows that 65% of Americans have read a print book last year while only 28% read e-book and 14% audio book.
Image courtesy: Guardian
A study reported in the Guardian last year found that readers felt ‘’the haptic and tactile feedback of a Kindle does not provide the same support for mental reconstruction of a story as a print pocket book does’ .
In India too, the selling of e-book is lower compare to the selling of printed copies. India is considered to be number one in reading books with an average of 10 hours 42 minutes reading by a person per week. Most readers feel the printed copies are irreplaceable, the feeling of written material much more absorbing and compelling than ebooks.
Image Courtesy:New Republic
Although there are people who engrossed in ebooks and prefer it more. For instance, college goers across, are feeling they can connect with ebooks more than papers, because books are heavy, sometime unavailable, it is convenient and also low maintenance and easy to use. The selling of ebooks shoiw that it is growing too and not at all negligible.
So, the final verdict is yet to come. Although the edge are seems to be with print media for now, but digital is not far behind. So, let us wait for couple of years to see whether the readers stick to tradition or embrace digital.
Tags: ebook readers ebooks ebooks vs printed books
