Prompt: In the future, nobody will buy printed newspapers or books because they will be able to read everything they want online without paying. Ċ To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

With the progress of social media these days, people are able to get access to a vast amount of information including books and articles online. It is argued by some people that this trend will deter readers from purchasing printed materials because online sources of information are free of charge. I totally agree with the notion that no one will purchase printed materials in the future due to the availability of online reading. Ċ The booming of books and news websites available on the internet gives people infinite access to them at no cost or with a small amount of money. That means the online reading model may be extremely cost-saving in comparison to reading with real books on hand. Some types of books are possibly too costly for many people and this may lead to an increasing switch to online reading. To illustrate, a person may spend an average of 20 dollars to purchase a self-help book whereas there is an assortment of this kind of books online with extremely modest fees. As a result, it is indisputable that there is an inclination of book lovers towards online reading. Ċ Besides, nearly every single person owns a smartphone that allows them to read everywhere and at any time they want with simply a click. Furthermore, an enormous amount of books can probably be downloaded and stored on a cellphone and be carried anywhere whereas the traditional methods of storing printed books did not allow readers to enjoy such convenience. Hence, it would be totally predictable that the consumption of materials that are printed will possibly not be of any prevalence to most of the readers in the future. To cite an example, an investigation into the reading habit of Japanese bookworms in 2019 showed that almost 80 per cent of them flicked through a book on their cell phones while they were on a metro or a train home. Ċ In conclusion, due to the cost-saving advantage and portability of non-printed books and newspapers that are more and more accessible on the internet, the prospects of printed books may not seem so optimistic. However, there will probably be a minority of people who still adore and embrace the values of printed books despite the evolution of new types of reading.