It was only going to be a matter of time before we started seeing the real impact of e-readers on paperback sales. On top of the figure quoted in the headline above, industry analysts, Nielsen BookScan, say that overall, total book sales are down by 11 per cent, according to their latest figures.

This time last year, paperback novel sales in the UK had topped the 14,9 million mark. In the first three months of 2012 however, that number is significantly lower: 11,3 million. It represents a 25 per cent drop in total sales.

The decline is partly blamed on the rise of popular e-readers such as the iPad, Amazon’s Kindle, and Sony’s Reader.

These digital e-readers can hold vast mini library-sized book collections at any one time, and they are more convenient, and they weigh far less than their sometimes-cumbersome predecessors.

Take for example these two individuals quietly enjoying themselves on Clifton’s First Beach this summer:

The Daily Mail quotes best-selling author, GP Taylor:

I believe we are seeing the death of the paperback and I would say that by 2020 it will be a little seen commodity. [But] hardbacks will always sell. They are the ‘vinyl copies’ of the book industry.

There is merit to both his points: Apple sold 3 million units of the new iPad in its first three days, and people are still buying paperbacks.

But, it’s still predicted that downloading novels will soon become as regular as downloading music, with hardbacks and the like only expected to remain popular in physical form because people like to collect them.

Last week, the Harry Potter franchise was launched in eBook form for the first time. Fans predictably went wild, and sales went through the £1 million barrier within days.

Meanwhile, the US government has just accused Apple of illegally fixing the price of electronic books.

A lawsuit, that was only just filed last night, claims that Apple has been colluding with major publishing companies to drive the e-book prices up in a bid to combat Amazon’s dominance of the market.

The Justice Department says the conspiracy to limit price competition caused consumers ‘to pay tens of millions of dollars more for e-books than they otherwise would have paid.’

Penguin is among the five publishers listed as being involved in the collusion.

The case could have a major impact on the price of e-readers if irregularities are indeed found.

[Sources: DailyMail, Guardian]