E-books started out as a complement to paper books, but as technology advances, it’s becoming increasingly likely that e-books will replace paper books entirely. As the advantages of e-books become more apparent, it’s worth paying attention to what the future holds for paper and e-books.
In the 15th century, German inventor Gutenberg developed the printing press, which is considered one of the most important inventions in human history. Thanks to this technology, paper books could be mass-produced, and information that was once only available to a limited group of people began to spread to the masses. This invention sparked the Reformation, accelerated the transmission and accumulation of knowledge through paper, and contributed immensely to humanity. Today, paper books still play an important role in our daily lives. From a young age, we were educated through paper books, and even today, we still turn to paper books for our liberal arts and academic texts.
However, the paper book, which has contributed so much to humanity, has recently faced a new challenge: e-books. An e-book is a digital publication consisting of text and pictures that can be created, published, and read on a computer or other electronic device. Everyone recognizes that the 21st century is the digital age. Advances in technology have brought us into the information age, and ebooks have broken the stereotype that books have always been written on paper.
When ebooks first appeared, many people expected them to replace paper books because they have several advantages over paper books. First of all, e-books are small and portable, and you can read them anywhere, anytime. This is much more convenient than paper books, especially when you’re traveling with multiple books, as you can fit several books on one device. Another advantage of e-books is the ability to instantly search for words or information you don’t understand while reading. Currently, e-books are connected to the internet, which allows you to search for information that is not possible with paper books. In addition, you can easily purchase books through the internet, and the size of the text can be freely adjusted so that you can read at a comfortable size. Because of these advantages, it was initially predicted that paper books would soon disappear.
However, if you look at the current situation, you can easily see that the predictions were wrong. In Korea, the sales of dedicated e-book devices are still low, and the usage rate of e-books on tablets such as the iPad is also falling. This is because e-book devices still have limitations, and e-books have not completely replaced the advantages of paper books. For starters, e-books don’t offer the texture of paper or the feeling of flipping through a book. They’re also harder to borrow and don’t offer the same sense of accomplishment as paper books. In addition, e-books use electronic devices, which can cause discomfort and eye strain from electromagnetic waves. Although e-books allow for lining up and taking notes, they are still more inconvenient than paper books. Finally, there are battery problems and copyright issues. Due to these disadvantages, e-books have yet to completely replace paper books.
So, are e-books doomed to replace paper books forever? I don’t think so. Right now, e-books are being used as a complement to paper books, but I think this is a transitional state before they move into a replacement. It’s entirely possible that one day e-books will replace paper books, not complement them.
In the U.S., the Pew Research Center reported in January that three in 10 U.S. adults now read on an e-reader. While the culture is still heavily centered around paper books, the percentage of ebook reading is steadily rising. This is due to the growing number of tablet and e-reader owners in the US. Nearly half of American adults own at least one tablet or dedicated device. In addition, Amazon, a major player in the U.S. publishing industry, has made a significant contribution to the revitalization of e-books by launching and developing a dedicated e-book device called Kindle. This revitalization and development of the e-book device market can lead to the spread of e-books.
Unlike the U.S., South Korea’s e-book market is only $597 million, or 7% of the U.S. market. Korea does not have an active e-book market like Amazon, and while book sales sites such as Yes24 and Interpark Books, and applications such as Google Store and T-store sell e-books, the market for e-book devices is still not active. Tablet usage is on the rise, but not many people use them as e-readers. Most people use tablets to watch videos and play games rather than read ebooks. However, if the e-book device market in Korea becomes as active as in the U.S. over time, e-books could gradually replace paper books in Korea.
Some of the reasons mentioned above for e-books not replacing paper books can be solved technologically over time. First, eye strain caused by electromagnetic waves from e-book devices can be solved by advances in display technology. Amazon’s Kindle already uses an E-ink display, which has been praised for its paper-like feel. Also, the difficulty of lining up and taking notes on e-books compared to paper books can be solved by advances in touch and touch pen technology. As this technology improves, the ability to line up and take notes may surpass that of paper books. The tactile experience of flipping through a book is also becoming less differentiated between e-books and paper books as touch technology improves. Amazon’s current Kindle Paperwhite has been well-received, as it addresses many of the shortcomings of e-books in terms of touch. As technology improves, e-book devices will become better and better, and e-books will become more and more popular.
Another reason why e-books can be a good alternative to paper books is that they are very versatile, depending on the characteristics of the device. While paper books can only convey information through text and pictures, e-books can utilize video, audio, and more to enhance the delivery of information. These advantages of ebooks can be especially useful in the educational setting. In fact, several studies have shown that e-books have a greater impact on toddlers’ story comprehension and creativity than paper books. There are also studies that show e-books are an effective tool for improving reading skills in middle school students. As you can see, e-books are beneficial for educational activities, and as technology improves, these effects will only increase, so it’s entirely possible that in time, all students will be using e-books to learn.
In conclusion, e-books are currently being used as a complement to paper books, but they won’t remain a complement forever. If you look at the webcomic market, which has grown significantly, more people are reading webcomics than comic books, and comic books are becoming increasingly obsolete. Similarly, e-books are currently in a transitional phase where they are becoming an alternative to paper books, and one day, e-books will replace paper books completely. While the market for e-books and e-book devices is still small in Korea compared to the U.S., the disadvantages of e-books are disappearing as technology improves. If e-books can be utilized in more ways than paper books, the future of e-books will be closer to replacing paper books.
