Notable publishers with significant innovations in e-books include Alphabooks and Omega Plus. In March 2025, these two companies uploaded nearly 1,000 e-book titles to Google Play Books. The platform is available in approximately 75 countries, but Vietnamese titles have been scarce until now, making this abundant appearance a special event for readers.
However, there are grounds for cautious optimism about this change, as many risks from e-books still exist, including those concerning quality and copyright protection in the digital space.
According to industry experts, there are many reasons why Vietnam’s e-book market faces difficulties, most notably the lack of workforce and insufficient expertise. In addition, there are still many loopholes in copyright regulations, and the user experience is not yet perfect.
Most e-book makers have not built a synchronised platform, lacking prominent features such as the ability to bookmark and take notes while reading or support multiple device formats. These obstacles are resolved quite thoroughly with such platforms as Google Play Books, helping to create a modern, convenient digital reading space. However, not every organisation has the conditions to collaborate and operate effectively.
The majority of readers express satisfaction with Google Play Books due to its smart features, from adjustable lighting, fonts, and font sizes to the ability to synchronise between devices, allowing readers to pick up where they left off on their mobile phones, tablets, or personal computers. The platform also supports various text formats, making readers more flexible in choosing their reading devices.
The Vietnamese e-book collection on Google Play Books covers many genres and topics from history, science, arts, Vietnamese culture, economics, and psychology to business and life skills. Readers can explore enriching knowledge for their studies, work, and personal interests.
Some print books that have sold out and have not been reprinted are also available on this platform, allowing readers to easily access the works they are looking for. An Omega Plus representative stated that one of the main motivations for the company to overcome difficulties and decide to bring e-books to modern platforms is to combat the habit of reading pirated e-books.
This is a negative habit that not only directly affects publishing and distribution companies but also causes significant and long-term damage to the book market. Readers' access to copyrighted books helps raise awareness about copyright protection and promotes stronger development of the publishing industry.
Additionally, when Vietnamese e-books become available on major platforms, it will help Vietnamese people living abroad easily access quality books.
The development of e-books is a positive sign, but its risks and challenges cannot be ignored. One of the biggest issues is copyright protection. Although platforms have tried to protect e-books through technical measures, they still cannot completely prevent illegal copying and distribution.
Furthermore, content quality control also faces many difficulties. In fields such as history, science, or highly specialised subjects, the lack of content control can lead to the spread of false information, affecting readers' reception and causing unpredictable consequences.
Moreover, dependence on multiple platforms also poses risks regarding ownership and data control. If one day a platform changes its policies or closes its services, users' entire book collections could suffer losses.
In the face of the breakthrough development of e-books, publishing companies, authors and readers need to thoroughly understand its conveniences and downsides, and develop appropriate strategies and solutions to increase operational efficiency and minimise risks. In particular, copyright protection should be a top priority to ensure sustainable development for the publishing industry.
