ePapers - South Africa | Statista Market Forecast

The ePapers market in South Africa is projected to reach a revenue of US$17.42m in 2024.
This is expected to exhibit an annual growth rate (CAGR 2024-2027) of 3.12%, resulting in a projected market volume of US$19.10m by 2027.
By 2027, the number of readers in the ePapers market is expected to amount to 2.8m users.
The user penetration rate is predicted to be 4.3% in 2024 and is expected to increase to 4.3% by 2027.
The average revenue per user (ARPU) is projected to be US$6.51.
In global comparison, United States is anticipated to generate the highest revenue with US$2.66bn in 2024.
In South Africa, the ePaper market is experiencing significant growth due to increased smartphone penetration and a shift towards digital media consumption.

An ePaper is a digital replica of a printed daily or weekly newspaper. ePapers can be accessed through various devices such as specific eReaders (e.g. Kindle), tablets, smartphones or computers. ePapers are typically purchased as subscriptions, but can also be downloaded as single editions. The following are not covered in the definition of an ePaper: digital paid content on websites of newspapers (non-replica) and printed newspapers or bundled newspaper subscriptions with digital editions as a free extra.

Paid downloads of digital replicas of a printed daily or weekly newspapers
Single paid downloads or subscriptions

Digital paid content on websites of newspapers
Bundled subscriptions where digital editions come as a free extra

Like the eMagazines market, ePapers will likely stay a niche product. Subscription-based ePapers services still offer portfolios that are too fragmented, thus being less attractive to consumers who are demanding for unlimited access to a wide-ranging library of content. However, nowadays most newspapers of every size are offering electronic versions of their publications, and consumers seem to be more willed to pay for high-quality journalism, as seen in The New York Times’ exploding subscriber figures. Here again, Apple might be able to push the market forward with its new subscription service Apple News+.

Data coverage:

The data encompasses B2C enterprises. Figures are based on the ePublishing market. ePublishing is defined as paid editorial/written content distributed over the internet, including eBooks (fiction, non-fiction, and academic publications), digital editions (replicas) of consumer and trade/business magazines (eMagazines), as well as daily or weekly newspapers (ePapers). All monetary figures refer to consumer spending on digital goods or subscriptions in the respective market. This spending factors in discounts, margins, and taxes.

Modeling approach / market size:

The market size is determined through a bottom-up approach. We use annual financial reports of the market-leading companies and industry associations, third-party studies and reports, survey results from our primary research (e.g., the Statista Global Consumer Survey), as well as performance factors (e.g., user penetration, price per product, usage) to analyze the markets. To estimate the market size for each country individually, we use relevant key market indicators and data from country-specific industry associations, such as various macroeconomic indicators, historical developments, current trends, and reported performance indicators of key market players. In particular, we consider average prices and annual purchase frequencies.

Forecasts:

We apply a variety of forecasting techniques, depending on the behavior of the relevant market. For instance, the S-curve function and exponential trend smoothing are well suited for forecasting digital products and services due to the non-linear growth of technology adoption. The main drivers are GDP per capita, consumer spending per capita, and 4G coverage.

Additional notes:

The data is modeled using current exchange rates. The market is updated twice a year in case market dynamics change. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is considered at a country-specific level. The data is modeled using current exchange rates. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war are considered at a country-specific level. The market is updated twice a year. In some cases, the data is updated on an ad hoc basis (e.g., when new, relevant data has been released or significant changes within the market have an impact on the projected development). GCS data is reweighted for representativeness.

This report presents a comprehensive analysis and additional information on the Digital market, in a PDF format.