Tablet gaining interest in e-book space

More e-book readers are turning away from e-readers and gravitating toward tablet computers, which offer a higher level of functionality and interactivity than their simpler counterparts, according to an April 2012 report from the Book Industry Study Group (BISG).

The study finds that e-readers have declined as the "first choice" among consumers during the last six months. As of February, 58 percent of consumers indicated they prefer e-readers as their go-to e-book platform, down from 72 percent in August 2011.

Tablets, meanwhile, have become the preferred device for 24 percent of e-book consumers, the study shows, up from nearly 13 percent in August.

"The movement from dedicated e-readers to multi-function tablet devices is an important one for publishers to understand, as it allows them to deliver a richer, more interactive e-book experience," says BISG deputy executive director Angela Bole.

A separate report from eMarketer shows similar trends in the e-reader/tablet dynamic. According to the news provider, e-reader growth rates are slowing, dropping from 162.1 percent in 2011 to a projected 37.2 percent in 2012 as more consumers gravitate toward tablets.