Considering the iPad Factor
Apple's iPad might have similar features to an eReader, but they're not the same
With the release of the iPad, many people began speaking doom and gloom for the eReader market. The iPad is for all intents and purposes, a tablet pc, utilizing a touch screen to provide you a computer on the go. It can also be used as an eBook Reader, as you can use its screen to view eBooks. As such, many people said that now that we have the Apple iPad, who would want to buy an eReader that does less?
However, many people are forgetting the reason people wanted an eReader and were considering a Nook vs Kindle in the first place. If someone wanted a device that could read books, play movies, take notes, and run applications, they would have bought a netbook or laptop. The reason people want a Nook or Kindle is because they want to keep things simple, they want a device that just reads eBooks. As such, hyping up the fact that an iPad has more features than an eReader doesn't make it more attractive, but less.
What's more, the two devices are at very different price points. A Nook vs Kindle would cost an interested consumer 200$ or less. An iPad? 500$ or more. As such, the two devices fall into very different regions for would be buyers. People considering a Kindle are not eager to buy a product that will cost them twice as much.
Because of these factors, I think the worry about the iPad destroying the eBook market is overblown. People interested in eBook readers are a different market than iPad purchasers. While there may be some overlap, it will hardly impact the growing market of eReaders.
