To paraphrase Mark Twain, ‘the reports of my demise are a little premature’. Oki desktop solutions (who do not produce any inkjet printers) are predicting the demise of the desktop inkjet printer.
”The technology is showing every sign of entering its last useful phase. Market figures are dropping, the value of the machines on the market is dropping, manufacturers are consolidating their ranges. Even predictions for cartridge sales over the years to come are showing a fast drop-off in sales. This is the end for the inkjet.”
Forecasting that the sales of Multi Function Printers (MFP’s) will overtake traditional single function desktop inkjet printers doesn’t take much doing. We predicted that very event 18 months ago, and all of the manufacturers are now pushing comprehensive ranges of both inkjet and laser MFP’s.
In the corporate marketplace the case for the laser network MFP is a no brainer, with todays output quality of lasers matching and in many cases exceeding the quality and speed of output of desktop colour inkjet printers add to this the fact that many people can all access one machine, saving up-front costs it makes eminent sense for companies to invest in this technology.
However for the domestic user and especially for photographic use the inkjet can leave a four colour laser standing in the quality of its output. With the latest Photographic inkjet printers taking up to three shades of black cartridges, their output is now exceeding traditional silver halide photo printing. For more traditional use the manufacturers are all selling six colour MFP’s which again give superb results. All this leaves us living in interesting times
