From CareerKarma:
Whether you’re an avid reader, a student, or a professional who reads for career advancement, the book-buying market seems to be shifting less towards physical books than it did years ago. People now find it more convenient to read books on their mobile devices, tablets, or computers through different digital reading formats like EPUB and MOBI. Is it possible that books could become obsolete in 10 years?
Electronic reading formats are easier to get, less expensive, and easily accessed compared to hardcover books. This fact begs not only the question, “Will books become obsolete?” but also “When will books become obsolete?” It is no surprise that more readers are turning to online formats in the present world with the many advancements of modern technology. But, will books really become a thing of the past?
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Books have been an essential part of society for a long time but are slowly declining significantly since the invention of technology as more people are losing interest.
Will Books Be Replaced by Future Technology?
Technology cannot entirely replace books, but there will be a significant reduction in physical books in the world. The world is going fully digital, and everyone now uses technology to complete several tasks, including reading. The demand for books printed on paper is declining, but digital books are becoming more popular as there are now ebooks that people turn to when reading for either pleasure or education.
However, books may remain relevant in the academic world as research shows that students still like to print PDF files to study. Reading with mobile devices or computers can be pretty strenuous for students, so institutions will always need to provide an alternative option.
People might subscribe to using more digital devices than reading copies of books in the near future, but books will not be entirely replaced by technology. There will be less book usage and more ebooks, but they will not go completely obsolete.
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Ebooks Are Taking Over
Ebooks are more in circulation than physical books for many reasons, as the book industry has seen a decline in book sales. According to Statista, the ebook industry rakes in tons of money every year, with a total sales of $1.1 billion. This figure is also expected to continue to grow, proving how popular the digital book business has become in recent years.
Books Are Getting More Expensive
Physical books are getting more expensive with time due to the increased cost of material resources needed to print a book and pay for authors’ royalties, transit costs, and return shipping. These factors added together on a daily basis influence the cost of books significantly.
Ebooks Are More Easily Shared
Why buy a book when you can just share one? Ebooks are easy to share and distribute, making them more accessible for some people. You can even find free PDF versions of your favorite novels online. This especially comes in handy if you live in, say, San Francisco, and you think your friend would love this book, but they live in New York. It’s cheaper and easier to share a digital book than a printed one.
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Online Classes
With the pandemic disrupting the world as we know it, online classes and bootcamps have become the norm, with many educational systems adopting this method to teach students. The exponential rise of online courses has further increased the use of digital devices for studying, decreasing the need for physical books even more. Sometimes we need to learn without contact, and the only way to accomplish that is by reading ebooks.
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