Colour, MFPs expected to dominate

Most printer vendors expect the demand for single-function printers to decline in 2007 and will consequently focus on multifunction printers (MFPs) in the coming year, reports eChannelline.

Inkjet and lower-end laser machines are also expected to dominate the market this year, but vendors say the real market opportunities will be in providing printing solutions. They say more money will be spent on services, software and support rather than just hardware.

The rapid growth in colour printing in 2006 due to falling prices is also expected to continue in both the inkjet and laser printer markets. IDC Canada analyst Brad Hughes says the colour laser market grew about 88% in 2006 and he predicts growth around 60% this year.

The breakthrough dual-engine printer platform announced by Xerox last month will pave the way for future printer designs and deliver unprecedented productivity and reliability to the digital printing industry, reports Al Bawaba.

The new parallel printer architecture consists of software and hardware that together enable two print engines to work together as one printing device. However, each engine can work independently to give commercial and graphic arts printers full flexibility depending on demand.

The technology developed at Xerox's research centre in Webster and at its Palo Alto Research Centre is aimed at delivering the world's fastest duplex cut-sheet printer. Technologies that enable the printer to think for itself are at the heart of the innovation, says Xerox.

Hewlett-Packard has announced that the company was named as the best provider of printing technology and hardware at the recent inaugural Gartner Print & Imaging Summit held in California.

According to HP, the awards were based on votes by attending CIOs and senior IT executives.

The summit featured an invitation-only audience of senior IT and business executives responsible for purchasing and overseeing printing and imaging systems and environments for mid-size and large enterprises.

Printing vendor Oki says its channel partners will be able to access a "broad range" of new Vista-compatible print drivers as it gears up for the consumer market release of Microsoft's long-awaited operating system at the end of the month.

ITP Technology says Oki plans to make Vista print drivers available for download from the company's regional Web sites from February. The company says Vista print drivers will be provided for the latest generation of printers and multifunction models as well as most older products.