E-books surge as devices multiply — but print holds fast

Devin Coldewey NBC News

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Jan. 16, 2014 

Peter Macdiarmid / Getty Images

A man reads an ebook in London's Victoria Tower Gardens.

E-books are more popular than ever, according to a new survey by Pew Research Center — but print books still reign supreme, even among the younger "digital natives" to whom one might think paper media would seem old-fashioned.

Amazingly, 73 percent of respondents aged 18-29 read print books in the last year — more than any other age group! That print is so tenacious even among the likes of Twitter and smartphone users may come as something of a surprise, but as media consultant Michael Morris explains, we can't assume e-readers are for everyone.

"We can't just look at e-books as if they're these magical things that will appeal to everyone," Morris explained in a phone interview with NBC News. "There are various entry barriers such as cost, and there are plenty of people who don't have Internet access in their homes."
In the meantime, a paperback works as well today as it did 50 years ago — and as it will 50 years in the future. Morris bets that paper books will be around for a long time yet for the same reasons they've survived so far: low cost, no power required, easy to gift — they're even recyclable.
"Even some people who have access to all these digital toys are going to stick to print for incredibly boring reasons," Morris continued, giving the example of someone who just likes the feel of books or who can't fit a tablet in their purse.
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