Sony’s readers are the third most popular eBook readers on the market, currently capturing around 5% of the reading device market. The two most popular devices are the Kindle and the iPad. However, the iPad is not a dedicated reader, but rather a computing device. If you take that into account, Sony reading devices are the second most popular dedicated reading devices. That’s why converting eBooks for Sony Reader devices is important.
Sony is working hard to grow its readership market. The company has indicated plans to own half the market for e-book reading devices in the next year and a half. It would be unwise to ignore this giant company when determining your eBook publishing and distribution strategy.
What should a publisher or author know about successfully converting eBooks to Sony Reader devices? One of the important decisions is determining which eBook formats should be used to publish your eBooks. The two most popular formats today are EPUB and AZW.
AZW is the file format used by Amazon for the Amazon Kindle. It is also the file format used for the sale of e-books through the Amazon Marketplace.
EPUB is an open e-book file format that can be read by most reading devices on the market today. This includes Sony Reader, Apple iPad, and Barnes & Noble Nook.
When considering eBook conversion for Sony readers, you should focus on the EPUB format. By converting your eBooks to EPUB, your books will be readable on Reader, iPad, and Nook.
Another benefit of using the EPUB format is that you will be able to sell your eBooks on many different online stores. This includes the Sony Reader Store and the Apple online store. In fact, both stores use the same DRM features that are used to protect your eBooks from improper copying or redistribution.
Sony displays books in PDF format, but this is not a viable solution. The PDF format is great for many uses, but eBook formats were specifically developed to enable extraordinary features that simply aren’t available with PDF. With EPUB, for example, you can turn your eBooks into multi-sensory experiences by incorporating audio and video. That’s why eBook conversion for Sony reading service companies will generally recommend using the EPUB format.
Also, depending on the format of a PDF file, it could be very difficult to read on certain reading devices. This problem does not occur with EPUB. In fact, EPUB has multiple built-in features to improve accessibility.
There are many things to consider when publishing eBooks. Also, the actual work of creating, converting, and formatting books into multiple eBook formats can be very technically challenging. It is a good idea to use the services of an experienced e-publisher for e-book conversion for Sony Reader devices.