LG Display is predicting rapid growth in the market for electronic books this year, which is set to be boosted by the recent launch of the Apple iPad.
LG predicts the market for electronic books will grow by almost 80 per cent in 2010.
And while the iPad and other new tablet PCs are proving popular for reading e-books, in addition to all of their other multimedia functions, LG is also sure that dedicated electronic-readers with limited multimedia features will still sell to readers.
Research group DisplaySearch notes that e-paper display shipments increased five-fold to 5 million units last year, boosted by the popularity of devices such as the Sony Reader and the Amazon Kindle.
iPad not a threat to e-books
LG is seemingly not at all concerned by the impact of the new tablet PC market.
"I think the iPad won't be a threat, but will actually have a positive impact on e-reader market," said M.B. Choi, VP of LG Display's electronic paper division.
"With iPad, Apple will boost consumer awareness of e-readers and boost digital content, which will help the market's overall growth.
"iPad is a multimedia gadget that also has digital reading. Pure e-readers, however, have their own advantages. They consume much less power, weigh less and are easy to read among other things. They simply target a different customer segment, like those seeking a serious reading experience," said Choi.
Via Reuters
