The perceptions of Malaysian consumers towards the usage and the future of eBooks

The sales of eBooks in developing countries are not encouraging. This study attempts to find out the existing perceptions of Malaysian consumers towards the usage and the future of eBooks. A semi-structured interview was carried out. Nine participants, each with five to ten years of eBook experience, were selected. Three of them are eBook consumers and the others are eBook industrialists. The findings show that eBooks are easy to use, subject to Internet connectivity, successful downloading, and device suitability. EBooks face the challenge against digital texts that do not conform to the conventional format of a book and the need to enhance their features with audio, visual, or interactive elements. The future of eBooks lies with the generation of digital natives who grow up handling screens of electronic devices effectively. They may even transform eBooks with artificial technology into a product that serves their natural, exploratory, and interactive learning styles