City eyes lead in e-book sector
By Zhu Shenshen |
August 14, 2010, Saturday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
SHANGHAI is expected to take the lead in the e-book industry nationwide within three years, through the country's first e-book industry alliance and a local digital school-bag project, industry officials said yesterday.
Shanghai plans to launch the first batch of electronic textbooks for students in China next year, supported by e-book reader vendors, including Hanwang Technology, the country's No. 1 book reader with a 70 percent market share.
Meanwhile, Shanghai has set up China's first e-book industry alliance with 56 member firms, including Hanwang, Shanda and Founder. The national e-book standard drafting work will also be finished in the city, said Li Xinli, vice director of the Shanghai Press and Publication Bureau.
"Shanghai has established a team led by top officials to support digital publication. We plan to lead in the sector in China within three years," Li said.
E-books help people to read online through portable devices, which can store thousands of books, such as Amazon's Kindle and Apple's iPad.
Shanghai has the most complete industry chain nationwide, from e-book reader devices, online content provider and telecommunications and Wi-Fi networks, said Ma Haiyong, secretary-general of the Shanghai Information Services Association.
Compared with better-designed overseas products such as Kindle and iPad, domestic e-book reader vendors should pay more attention to providing content, analysts said.
Hanwang launched a new version of its flagship product D21, which is designed for students. The 6-inch e-book reader features English learning and online lesson functions.
The Shenzhen-listed Hanwang, which aims to set up a facility at the Shanghai Zhangjiang National Digital Publishing Base in Pudong New Area, is ready to provide hardware and related services for the city's electronic textbook project, said Liu Yingjian, Hanwang president.
The education sector is the biggest and most stable market for e-book readers, which has taken off overseas, Ma said.
In 2009, China's e-book market took off. Sales climbed to 400,000 units from almost zero in the previous year, according to Zero2IPO, a Beijing-based research firm.
Shanghai plans to launch the first batch of electronic textbooks for students in China next year, supported by e-book reader vendors, including Hanwang Technology, the country's No. 1 book reader with a 70 percent market share.
Meanwhile, Shanghai has set up China's first e-book industry alliance with 56 member firms, including Hanwang, Shanda and Founder. The national e-book standard drafting work will also be finished in the city, said Li Xinli, vice director of the Shanghai Press and Publication Bureau.
"Shanghai has established a team led by top officials to support digital publication. We plan to lead in the sector in China within three years," Li said.
E-books help people to read online through portable devices, which can store thousands of books, such as Amazon's Kindle and Apple's iPad.
Shanghai has the most complete industry chain nationwide, from e-book reader devices, online content provider and telecommunications and Wi-Fi networks, said Ma Haiyong, secretary-general of the Shanghai Information Services Association.
Compared with better-designed overseas products such as Kindle and iPad, domestic e-book reader vendors should pay more attention to providing content, analysts said.
Hanwang launched a new version of its flagship product D21, which is designed for students. The 6-inch e-book reader features English learning and online lesson functions.
The Shenzhen-listed Hanwang, which aims to set up a facility at the Shanghai Zhangjiang National Digital Publishing Base in Pudong New Area, is ready to provide hardware and related services for the city's electronic textbook project, said Liu Yingjian, Hanwang president.
The education sector is the biggest and most stable market for e-book readers, which has taken off overseas, Ma said.
In 2009, China's e-book market took off. Sales climbed to 400,000 units from almost zero in the previous year, according to Zero2IPO, a Beijing-based research firm.
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