College E-Textbook Market to Grow 50% in 2010, New Simba Report Finds

E-textbooks are picking up steam in the college market, growing at an estimated annual growth rate of nearly 49% through 2013, when they will account for more than 11% of textbook sales, according to the newly released “E-Textbooks in Higher Education” report from media industry forecast and analysis firm Simba Information.

New print textbooks continue to dominate the college instructional materials market, at a projected $4.46 billion in 2010. But the hard-charging e-textbook segment will grow about 50% to an estimated $181 million, according to Simba’s most recent strategic market report.

Some the e-textbooks making up this surge will undoubtedly be open-source, such those from FlatWorld.  A growing percentage of the textbook market switching to digital will clearly require a re-jiggering of the traditional textbook royalty models.

Further info on Simba’s report can be found at www.simbainformation.com.