HP is inflicting outrage after releasing software program updates that cease a few of its printers from printing if third-party ink cartridges are detected.
As Ars Technica studies, HP’s resolution to do that was first famous on Reddit by consumer grhhull. Earlier than putting in the newest firmware replace for his or her printer it will present a “cannot assure high quality” message if unofficial ink cartridges have been detected. Nevertheless, after the replace was put in the printer merely refused to print as a result of the ink cartridges “include a non-HP chip.”
HP calls its cartridge authentication system “dynamic safety” and describes it as a technique to “shield the standard of our buyer expertise, preserve the integrity of our printing methods, and shield our mental property.” For homeowners of HP printers, it means you might be being compelled to pay no matter worth HP decides to cost for its cartridges even when cheaper alternate options exist.
The corporate confirms that latest printer updates are implementing this modification to requiring HP-approved ink. It is unclear which printer fashions are or can be affected by this modification sooner or later. A few of HP’s printer listings go as far as to state, “Cartridges utilizing a non-HP chip could not work, and those who work at present could not work sooner or later.” It appears the one technique to keep away from your unofficial ink cartridges now not working is to not set up HP’s printer updates.
It is shocking HP determined to do that as the corporate has gotten into hassle for doing it earlier than and ended up paying thousands and thousands in compensation via a number of lawsuits. Australians claimed $100,000 in compensation again in 2018, Italy fined the corporate $10.5 million in 2020, and a class-action lawsuit is slowly making its manner via the US court docket system. HP even stopped blocking some third-party cartridges again in 2016, however has by no means admitted to any wrongdoing.
Ars Technica tried to get HP to clarify why it determined to implement this modification now, however it offered solely “obscure” responses. As one commenter on Ars rightly factors out, HP sells its printers at a loss after which makes an attempt to generate a revenue via cartridge gross sales over a printer’s lifetime. So in the event you aren’t shopping for the official cartridges, you might be successfully costing HP cash.
Customers can finally vote with their wallets by selecting to purchase a printer from one other model as a substitute. In our Readers’ Selection survey, Brother is PCMag readers’ printer model of selection.
