It’s hard to believe, but books have been around for over 2,000 years and now technology is changing our reading habits. That said, it’s also hard to believe how much the reading habits of today are vastly different from those of just 50 years ago.
For example, in the past, people typically read one book at a time (or, at most, two), and that book was likely paper-based to cut down on weight and facilitate more accessible transportation from place to place.
eBooks
Many people are reading electronically on Kindles, tablets, or other devices. When you consider that ebooks are so much cheaper than physical books, and they’re available instantly without having to go to a bookstore, it’s no wonder that more people are gravitating toward these digital texts. If you do read ebooks and you’ve thought about trying an app like Audible to listen while you read, there’s a perfect one for you.
Audiobooks
An audiobook may be the perfect alternative for those who have trouble concentrating or staying on task. Studies show that people who listen to audiobooks for even 15-30 minutes daily have greater reading comprehension, improve their vocabularies, and are more likely to read.
That said, audiobooks aren’t for everyone. The narrator plays a vital role in how much you enjoy or don’t enjoy an audiobook; each book has its cadence, rhythm, and narration style, so it’s essential to find someone whose voice you enjoy listening to.
Podcasts
It’s hard to deny that podcasting has become an increasingly popular form of audio media in recent years. It’s also becoming more accepted as a valuable source of information, with numerous podcasts picked up by mainstream news sources.
Since you can listen while doing other activities, it’s a great alternative to a real-life conversation that can take away valuable personal time. There are numerous health benefits of listening to podcasts too.
Online newspapers and magazines
In the age of technology, readers are consuming content in entirely different ways. In America alone, newspapers and magazines have declined considerably, with 68% of people prefer reading the news on an internet browser or mobile phone. Not only has this changed how quickly people can get up-to-date with current events, but it’s also altered their reading habits.
Apps like Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram, etc.
A new study from the Pew Research Center has found that 56% of Americans between 18 and 29 don’t read books. Younger generations are turning to platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Snapchat for their reading content than paper books.
However, younger Americans aren’t just abandoning books for social media; many are also choosing digital books over print ones. The U.S. publishing industry reported that ebook sales hit billions—and are expected to surpass paper book sales soon.
Those statistics might be a shock, considering there was concern about whether ebooks would cannibalize or hurt print book sales just last year. Now they’re helping to drive them higher than ever before.
So what’s next?
As technology continues to evolve, there are many more changes coming our way that will continue to change the way we read. Amazon’s Alexa, Apple’s Siri, and Facebook AI bots like M, to name a few—these new technologies will come as voice-operated reading assistants in near future. With Artificial Intelligence (AI) advancements, readers can expect these assistants to keep track of their reading habits.
You can read how technology can improve your mental health.