It’s easy to dismiss technological alternatives to established time-tested tools as fads… And easier still, to get carried away by the sweeping power of technological innovation!  Well, in this case I am referring to the Kindle, Sony reader and the ever-evolving e-reader clan and the writing off of paper and print. Critics across generational divides have strong opinions supporting both sides. Technology drove the music industry’s evolution and the fade-out of non-adapters. Will this be replicated in the publishing industry, evolving rapidly in a digital era?

Almost everyone in the industry is trying to make sense of what lies ahead… Which technology will emerge stronger and which one will bite the dust?  Will e-readers replace print books entirely? Where will the industry head to if it doesn’t toe the line?

However, a pertinent question here is how would this sweeping technology adoption in the publishing industry impact the service providers?

Of course, some of the immediate opportunities are already being tapped and will grow further:

• e-book publishing across multiple channels – Conversion for not just trade titles but also educational, comics, dictionaries, encyclopedias, religious books segments.
• Multilingual translations – across European and Asian countries.
• Online databases -  enabling sale of piece-meal articles, instead of an entire journal/book in the STM, educational and professional segments.

While technology will undoubtedly be the growth mantra, commoditization in the service offering for e-books, conversions, digitization, etc. would set in sooner than later. Providers who are unable to invest in technology today (and now) to provide quality and volume benefits to buyers are better off away from this turf. Since the window to this opportunity is expected to be small, vying for meaty and long contracts is better left to the larger and experienced players. The rest can focus on evolving stronger content and language capabilities – maybe across geographies. While technology will continue to drive evolution in the publishing industry, at the end of the day, it’s the compulsiveness of content that remains the soul of the publishing industry – irrespective of formats – digital or print!