Taiwan market: Mobile telecom carriers conservative about launching e-book readers

Chunghwa Telecom, Taiwan Mobile and Far EasTone Telecommunications are not looking to be active in launching e-book readers for the time being, as their current focus is operating e-book stores for smartphone users, according to industry sources.

CHT will not rule out e-book readers, but will keep an eye on the market as it develops. CHT expects the daily number of users of its Hami e-book store to increase from 100,000 currently to 130,000 at end of 2010, the company indicated.

TWM opened its e-book store in January 2010 and will target iPad and other tablet PCs more than e-book readers, the company noted.

FET launched its e-book store eBook Town in July and has attracted 73,000 downloads a day, the company indicated. FET is talking with several vendors of e-book readers, including Apple, Acer, Asustek Computer and Huawei Technologies, for potential bundled sales, the company said.