Several users said HP has started blocking customers from using third-party ink with its printers for security purposes.
According to the HP community forum, a recent firmware upgrade for printers has disabled the use of non-HP ink as part of the company’s strict dynamic security policy.
HP has already lost significant share in the global printer market, says IDC.
Dynamic security, a part of HP’s cartridge authentication process that was first introduced in 2016, is designed to protect the quality of customer experience, maintain the integrity of its printing systems, and protect its intellectual property, The Verge news report said.
This prevents the use of ink or toner cartridges in some printers that do not include new or reused HP chips or electronic circuitry. HP has already faced criticism and been the target of many class action lawsuits.
Despite this, the company is extending its dynamic security policy to more devices that were previously compatible with cartridges from other manufacturers.
The report further mentioned that the technology company had reached a $1.5 million settlement with customers in the US in 2020 as part of a class-action lawsuit that claimed that HP’s firmware acted as malware by adding, deleting or altering code, diminishing the capabilities of HP printers, and rendering the competitors’ supply cartridges incompatible with HP printers.
In addition, after preventing users from installing less expensive third-party ink cartridges, the business paid millions to customers in Australia and the European Union who were impacted by dynamic security, the report said.
HP’s printer market share dropped to 34.7 percent in Q4 2022 vs 37.8 percent in Q4 2021, according to the latest IDC report. Value of hardcopy peripherals market rose 0.7 percent to $39.9 billion in 2022 vs 2021.
