E-reader Market to Shift Towards Color Devices by 2025
The e-reader market is set to see a significant shift towards color devices in the coming years, with predictions suggesting a majority of e-readers will feature color displays by 2025. While no specific company has been identified as planning to produce the most color e-readers in 2025, several manufacturers are already known for offering color e-reader options.
In the realm of color e-readers, Pocketbook and Trekstore are notable names. Meanwhile, Remarkable has chosen to use Gallery 3 instead of Kaleido for its color e-readers. The latest in color e-reader technology is E Ink Kaleido 3, which promises improved color saturation, contrast, and eye comfort. This third-generation display offers 4,096 colors at 150 PPI for color content and 300 PPI for monochrome content.
Color e-paper benefits include enhanced viewing of comics, digital textbooks, graphic novels, and webtoons. However, black and white e-readers are still sufficient for reading e-books, as color may not always enhance the reading experience. Industry experts predict that by 2025, the share of color e-readers will rise to 71%, with black-and-white devices declining to 29%. Currently, the typical e-reader uses an E INK Carta e-paper display with black and white casings, controlled by electricity. However, several popular brands like Rakuten Kobo, Amazon, Onyx Boox, Hyead, Readmoo, and Meebook already sell more color e-readers than black and white ones. Netronix, the largest e-reader manufacturer, shipped 64% color e-book readers and 36% black-and-white models in 2024.
As we look ahead to 2025, it's clear that the e-reader market is poised for a shift towards color displays. While the specific manufacturer leading this trend remains uncertain, the benefits of color e-paper for certain content types are undeniable. With major brands already offering color e-readers and industry giants like Netronix reporting increased shipments of color devices, the future of e-readers appears to be in full color.
