E-paper sales expected to hit $9.6 billion in '18
Electronic paper is stacking up to be a high-growth market, according to a new report.
Sales of e-paper displays are projected to soar from $431 million this year to $9.6 billion in 2018, market researcher DisplaySearch said Wednesday.
The number of units sold is forecast to grow 22 million this year to 1.8 billion in 2018.
E-books are currently the main use and sales driver for e-paper. Most e-book readers, such as the Amazon Kindle and Sony Reader, use the electrophoretic display technology from E Ink. A few e-readers, such as Fujitsu's Flepia, use a different technology called cholesteric LCD. Fujitsu's device offers a color display but is more expensive than the Kindle or Sony Reader.
"E-paper displays are taking off with consumers due to their low power consumption and ease of reading, especially in sunlight," said Jennifer Colegrove, director of display technologies at DisplaySearch. "In addition, e-paper displays are 'green' because they reduce paper consumption."
The number of e-book readers on the market has risen steadily, starting with one model in 2003, three in 2006, five in 2007, and around 20 this year, notes the report.
Despite the visual appeal of Fujitu's color Flepia e-book reader, DisplaySearch asserts that the high price and technical challenges of color e-books will limit their sales volume until 2011. The more popular electrophoretic display technology is likely to continue to lead the market and generate sales of $5.8 billion in 2018.
But other display technologies are poised for growth, the report said. Electrochromic displays, most commonly used in windows and other glass products, will target the market for smart labels and card displays. By 2013, electrochromic displays will be the leading technology for e-paper displays, DisplaySearch is forecasting.
Another competing technology called MEMS (micro-electro mechanical system) is expected to shift its market from cell phone displays to color and medium-sized e-books over the next few years.
Lance Whitney wears a few different technology hats--journalist, Web developer, and software trainer. He's a contributing editor for Microsoft TechNet Magazine and writes for other computer publications and Web sites. You can follow Lance on Twitter at @lancewhit. Lance is a member of the CNET Blog Network, and he is not an employee of CNET. 
The book market may shrink due to less people reading, but those of us who will remain the large market for books will never fully adopt these devices in their current forms.
This is such crap. Most trees used for paper are farmed, and are a carbon-NEGATIVE industry.
E ink display manufacturing (and paper recycling for that matter) are 100% without a doubt NOT carbon negative.
There are a few good reasons for e-books, mostly convenience and portability...being green isn't one of them, and claiming such is a flat-out lie.
e-books may not be green for *one* book, but when you stack it up against the carbon foot print dozens of books and newspapers, it is pretty clear that it has a much smaller environmental impact over it's life than the equivalent production of paper publications
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- by spiroskotsialos August 30, 2009 2:02 AM PDT
- I think that the number of devices that are used to read from is going to increase and probably much more than 22 million units, however i think that within 5 years I don't think it will be the eBook technology we think of today. Reading devices will be integrated devices and defining e-paper will no longer be possible as epaper won't be limited by the technology restrictions it has today and will be a combination of many screen technologies.
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