New rules for e-books

Prices of e-readers (handheld devices on which you read e-books) could drop to below RMB500 (US$74.30) in the fourth quarter, according to Zero2IPO Research.
Supplying books to read on these machines has created some problems, but there are now rules in place defined by the General Administration of Press and Publications.
Liu Liang, an analyst with Beijing-based iResearch, said the new rules, designed to secure the long-term development of the industry, will give momentum to dominant firms while potentially spelling bad news for smaller rivals.
One company that has been approved is Hanvon which, according to research firm Analysys International, enjoys a 69.07% share of the Chinese e-book market by sales volume. China is now the world’s second largest e-book market behind the US.
English People’s Daily Online reports that Analysys estimates full-year sales of e-readers will exceed 1 million units. Last year, sales totaled some 400,000 units nationwide.