Berlin Startup txtr
lets go txtr: Foyles bookshops and txtr join efforts in largest European eBook market
Foyles, Britain’s world renowned bookseller, launches a brand new eBook service together with eReading apps on Android and iOS, under the name ‘Foyles powered by txtr’. txtr is a leading eReading solutions provider on numerous branded smartphones, tablets and PCs. Through its partnership with Foyles, txtr adds more focus on the UK eBook market in 2012. The eBook shop is operated jointly by the marketing and merchandising teams of txtr and Foyles.
Sam Husain, Foyles CEO comments: “At Foyles we are very excited by the developments in reading and bookselling afforded by digital technology. Our new eBook store and apps, Foyles powered by txtr, make buying and reading eBooks as easy as possible, without the added expense of having to buy new hardware. It is the next step in our on-going journey to serve our customers with a choice of books, across the widest possible range, in every format.”
So Europe is catching up, but is still behind the US with respect to the average eBook penetration, but the gap is narrowing with growth figures of over 200% per year* in countries such as Germany and the Netherlands. The UK is the most advanced eReading market in Europe: more than 1 out of 10 adults use an eReader. “There is a tremendous opportunity in the eBook market, which is expected to grow to US$ 35 billion in 2015 globally,” says Christophe Maire, CEO of txtr.
“The industry will see some significant changes in the coming years. Digitalisation of reading offers a lot of opportunities for existing and new readers. Distribution and reach will be a key driver and device makers and mobile operators are poised to take their fair share of the growing pie. And recent research shows that consumers are willing to pay a reasonable price for eBooks. We focus on the book discovery process with expected innovations in social reading and recommendations and the quality and size of our local catalogues,” says Maire.
Keep goin.