Market for e-readers in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) more than doubled in 2011 compared to 2010, with total shipments reaching about 4.8 million units, according to IDC.
Sales of e-readers in the EMEA region, which accounts for just over 17% of the worldwide market, is forecasted to exceed 24 million units by 2016, generating a 37% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) over the forecast period, IDC said.
The primary factor that contributed to the e-readers sales momentum in 2011 is the fall in prices of the devices, as big player in this segment Amazon aggressively brought the price of its WiFi Kindle device down to €99 in eurozone countries.
As competition increased in the EMEA market, vendors such as Canada-based Kobo Books established strong presence due to partnerships with local retailers in the UK, France, and Germany; and German-based Trekstor posted remarkable results in Germany.
According to IDC, uptake of Android TFT screen devices retailing for less than €60 was seen at the end of 2011, while colour TFT devices are gaining momentum among low-end users on a budget.
IDC EMEA senior analyst Mario Lombardo said the rapid fall in prices is making e-readers increasingly accessible to consumers, transforming the way they access content.
"2012 will be a crucial year for this market. Prices will continue to fall, driven by pricing strategies of major vendors that can increasingly count on a substantial content revenue stream," Lombardo added.
"On the other hand, vendors mainly counting on sales of the mere hardware will face very challenging times, and some are likely to be forced out of the market."
The EMEA market for e-readers is expected to grow by 37% CAGR between 2012 and 2016, with Western Europe the fastest growing region, generating 41% CAGR.
