iPad Ranks Weakest Among e-Reader Brands

Apple's iPad may have captivated Madison Avenue, but it is a distant also-ran when it comes to consumer brand loyalty in the burgeoning marketplace of electronic readers, according to the 2011 edition of Brand Keys Customer Loyalty Engagement Index. Amazon.com's Kindle dominates the market, according to the highly regarded brand research.

The study, which draws its insights and the drivers that influence brands directly from the consumers who use them, ranks Kindle No. 1, followed by Barnes & Noble's Nook, and Sony's and Kobo's eBook readers, with the iPad ranking last.

"It may be that there aren't enough of them out there," Robert Passikoff, founder and president of Brand Keys, said of the iPad's ranking -- or it could be that the Apple devices are too much of an "in-between" product to be considered in the e-reader category by consumers.

"As a matter of their own applications and selections, Kindle ranked highest among consumers," he said.

Top E-Readers

1 Kindle
2 Nook
3 Sony
4 Kobo
5 iPad

Source: Brand Keys Customer Loyalty Engagement Index 2011

3 comments about "iPad Ranks Weakest Among e-Reader Brands".
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  1. Nick Koutsopoulos from Cronin & Company, February 8, 2011 at 8:12 a.m.

    When was the iPad considered an e-Reader? While it may score low amongst other e-Readers, the "Kindle", "Nook" etc...what about mass acceptance as a tool for multi-media use?

  2. Charles Balazs from MZ, February 8, 2011 at 9:09 a.m.

    I don't think anyone who owns an iPad think of it as an e-reader. That's one capability, and not a very big one, of the iPad. Just the thought of trying to use my iPad as an e-reader--esp. if I tried to side-load all the whitepapers and free e-books I side-load onto my Nook--makes it seem too difficult. The iPad is too heavy, the screen has too much glare, etc. Don't get me wrong, I love the iPad, but when I want to read, I pick up the Nook.

  3. Andrew Boer from MovableMedia, February 8, 2011 at 9:56 a.m.

    A narrowly defined question getting a narrowly defined answer.
    I owned 3 kindles and haven't picked them up since I got my iPad.
    Ipad is actually better for periodicals and short form content - - The only time I would consciously use my Kindle is outside/beach/summer reading (through a ziplock bag). They need to make it waterproof.

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