E-paper applications are becoming increasingly diverse, not only driving continuous growth in production value but also expanding their use cases. From smart retail electronic shelf labels (ESL), real-time information displays in intelligent transportation, hospital ward information boards, to the recently emerging large-scale e-paper advertising billboards, e-paper technology is quietly integrating into daily life.
Digital reading momentum accelerates
Looking specifically at the e-book reader market, digital reading is especially vibrant in 2025. During the Taipei International Book Exhibition (TiBE) in February 2025, various companies showcased different readers.
Books.com.tw launched its own e-book reader, BooksPad, in February 2025. As the largest platform in the Chinese-language market, it sparked a buying frenzy, selling over 10,000 units within three months of launch.
Readmoo and E Ink Holdings jointly developed the world's first foldable color e-book reader, debuting at Touch Taiwan 2025. This 8-inch MooInk V foldable color e-reader features E Ink's Gallery 3 color e-paper display.
According to research, the global e-book market is expected to reach US$22.76 billion in five years, with the Asia-Pacific region showing the most significant growth at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.9%, indicating sustained demand for digital reading.
Rakuten Kobo expands across Taiwan and beyond
Consistent with this trend, Rakuten Kobo has observed rapid expansion in the Taiwanese market. It's popular model, Kobo Clara Colour, now comes in a new "pure white" version. Since launching the color e-readers Kobo Libra Colour and Kobo Clara Colour in 2024, the newly introduced Kobo Clara Colour White offers the same features and lightweight design as the black model, catering to consumers' personalized aesthetic preferences. It features a 6-inch Kaleido 3 color e-paper screen.
Rakuten Kobo noted explosive growth in Taiwan's e-reader demand, achieving a fivefold increase in device sales during TiBE. Additionally, since introducing the Kobo Plus subscription service in Taiwan in 2024, it has quickly gained popularity among readers. Leveraging its experience in Taiwan, Rakuten continues to expand into Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, and other markets.
Netronix rides the color e-reader boom
Netronix, the world's largest e-book reader original design manufacturer (ODM), counts Kobo and Books.com.tw among its major customers. Fueled by a strong replacement cycle for color readers and the rapid rise of the Asian e-reader market, Netronix's orders have grown nearly 30% compared to 2024. Shipments are expected to be split approximately 40% in the first half and 60% in the second half of 2025, with quarterly revenue anticipated to increase sequentially. Full-year consolidated revenue for 2025 is projected to achieve double-digit growth.
In 2024, about 64% of Netronix's shipments were color e-book readers, while black-and-white models accounted for 36%. For 2025, the share of color e-readers is expected to further rise to 71%, with black-and-white devices declining to 29%.
Beyond consolidating the e-book reader market and exploring new applications, Netronix is accelerating projects involving e-paper advertising billboards, which began shipping in the second quarter of 2025. Although these currently represent a small portion of 2025 revenue, they are poised to become a new growth engine following e-book readers.
Additionally, Netronix's subsidiary AIC is expected to return to growth in 2025, while another subsidiary, TWBM, after years of developing advanced medical materials, is also projected to bear fruit in 2025. Both subsidiaries' profitability improvements will further contribute to group earnings.
Facing trade tariff pressures between China and the US, Netronix continues to strengthen its global production footprint across Taiwan, Vietnam, and the US. The company is also enhancing design capabilities and manufacturing processes for color e-paper applications, while actively expanding overseas sales channels to capture opportunities in high-end customized solutions.
Article edited by Jerry Chen
