Where ebooks truly excel is in their [[!Service design]].
Ebooks rely on intermediaries but this has the benefit of [[!Instant gratification]]. Buy an ebook from a [[!DRM]] provider like [[!Amazon]]? Start reading in seconds without any extra work or waiting for a delivery.
Ebooks help enable a flow state which extends beyond the reading: collecting highlights, syncing notes, and saving your bookmarks. These have huge benefits but also emphasize how Ebooks rely on intermediaries and using different services adds friction.