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English Language eBookMarketsThe following overview provides key data for thetwo leading English markets, those of the USand the UK, as a benchmark for a more in-depthrepresentation of trends and developments inplaces where English is not the first language ofthe average reader.United StatesThe debate on the ebook market in the US shifted gearsand focus in 2013. While in previous years, the fast pace ofthe expanding market share of ebooks had hit the headlines,2013 saw more complex patterns emerging.Accounting for 20% of the US trade book market, ebookshave become an essential part of mainstream reading (seeAAP BookStats 2013). By the end of 2012, over 1,000 ebooktitles had been estimated to account for sales of more than25,000 copies each (Publishers Weekly,March 18,2013). Majortrade publishers have reported a market share forebook revenues around the 30% mark (e.g. at Simon &Schuster), and 29% of revenues came from digital booksin the second quarter of 2013, up 39% from the first quarter.Nevertheless, a debate started about a plateau in ebooksales, as the previous strong growth patterns in sales hadcome down in the first half year of 2013 (see e.g. USA Today).The total US trade book market showed a return to solidgrowth of almost 7% in 2012 (while the total US book markethad shrunk again), after a previous slump in the firststages of ebook expansion, and “virtually all of that growthcomes from ebooks rather than print books.” (as reportedby PublishersLunch). In the first quarter of 2013, ebookshelped overall trade publishing to increase by 3.3% (AAPStatshot, as quoted in Publishers Weekly). Ebooks alsocontinuously provide a lively push for US exports, whichincreased in 2012 by 7.2% to $833.389 million, with135,526 million units.By mid 2013, the developments had become more complexthough, as in the first six months of 2013, as “overallebook sales of $731.4 million actually declined — yes, declined(!) — for the first time across such a period, down$40 million or 5 percent. But adult ebooks were the singlelargestof seven format breakouts (!) for the first time acrosssuch a period.” (Publishers Lunch, 19 September 2013) Inunits, ebooks accounted for 30% in this period (up from27% in the first half of 2012, according to Bowker, quotedin Publishers Weekly, 20 September 2013)Aside from commercial developments, several legal battlesas well as pricing strategies, notably those of onlineretailer Amazon had a critical impact in shaping the USebook market.On July 10, 2013, a New York court found “by a preponderanceof the evidence that Apple conspired to restraintrade in violation of Section 1 of the Sherman Act,” resultingin higher prices for ebooks, to the disadvantage ofconsumers (see a detailed summary at Publishers Weekly).In the hearings preceding this ruling, Apple had declaredthe company’s market share for ebooks through the iBookstoreat around 20% (Publishers Lunch, June 13, 2013).The court decision was widely commented as giving Amazona significant advantage to strengthen its position inThe Global eBook Report 17