Connected E-Reader Sales: 6.6 Million Units in 2010

Worldwide connected e-reader sales to end users are forecast to total 6.6 million units in 2010, up 79.8 percent from 2009 sales of 3.6 million units, according to Gartner, Inc. In 2011, worldwide e-reader sales are projected to surpass 11 million units, a 68.3 percent increase from 2010.

'The connected e-reader market has grown dramatically during the past two years, driven by sales of Amazon's e-readers, primarily in North America," says Hugues De La Vergne, principal research analyst at Gartner.

North America is the dominant region for e-reader sales, accounting for sales of just over four million units in 2010. North America also will remain a key market through 2014, although its dominance will decline significantly as regions such as Western Europe and Asia/Pacific become the leading locations for growth.

Growth in North American and other markets will remain constrained by the success of media tablets, such as the Apple iPad, which will provide e-reader functionality in addition to more-robust PC-type support.

Gartner Says Worldwide Sales of Connected E-Readers on Track to Reach 6.6 Million Units in 2010