2010 Was Another Massively Successful Year For The Amazon Kindle Reader

Now that the excitement surrounding the holiday sales season has settled, it is evident that it has been another highly profitable year for the Amazon Kindle reader. The latest Kindle 3, released in late August 2010, has seamlessly continued the success of its predecessor, the Kindle 2.0, and remains Amazon’s top-selling product.

During the Christmas sales period (November 14 to December 19), it outperformed all other products on the Amazon website, with the 8GB Apple iPod Touch taking second place.

As usual, Amazon is keeping the actual numbers close to its chest. However, industry analysts have revised their 2011 Kindle sales forecast from 5 million units to 8 million. It’s also worth noting that analysts estimate Amazon’s share of the current e-book market to be a staggering 90%.

The combination of the Kindle reader and the extensive selection of Kindle books seems to be the key factor. Currently, there are over 800,000 Kindle books available for purchase. These paid titles are complemented by an additional 1.8 million copyright titles, including classics by renowned authors such as Virgil, Homer, Jules Verne, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Charles Dickens, and Emily Bronte, which are available as free downloads. You can save money and enhance your collection at the same time.

Amazon has cleverly made several free Kindle “apps” available, allowing consumers to read Kindle books on alternative handheld electronic devices. This ensures that they won’t lose their ebook collection if they decide to switch to a different reading device in the future. Currently, Kindle apps exist for Windows PC, Mac computers, Apple iPhone, iPad, Blackberry smartphones, and any device running Android. And, in case you missed it, all these apps also serve as an effective marketing channel for Kindle books.

Regardless of your opinion on the comparison between ebook readers and physical books, it is evident that the Amazon Kindle is the leading ebook reader by a significant margin. The fact that the only credible competition to the Kindle comes in the form of the Apple iPad, a high-spec tablet computer that costs over three times the price of the Kindle, speaks volumes.

Analysts predict that Amazon’s share of the ebook market will decline in the coming years. However, with a 90% market share, this is hardly a damning indictment. Some decline is almost inevitable. It is projected that by 2015, ebook sales will be roughly evenly split between Amazon, Google, and Apple. Of course, given the current pace of growth, this would simply mean that Amazon will have a slightly smaller share of a significantly larger market.

Currently, there is no indication that the Kindle’s dominance is waning. The anticipated increased competition following the release of the iPad does not appear to have derailed Amazon’s momentum. As the market matures, there will undoubtedly be some consolidation, but for now, Amazon seems poised to capitalize on the growing digital publishing market and remain one of the key players for a long time to come.

Manuel Marino

Manuel Marino is a seasoned Senior Producer, Music Composer, and Artist with over a decade of experience. He specializes in branded entertainment across various mediums, including video games, films, and advertising campaigns. With 20+ years as a game music composer, Manuel has worked on numerous platforms, creating diverse orchestral soundtracks. HIRE ME