With the digitization of, well, nearly everything, people just don’t print like they used to. More modern ways of storing and sharing information, changes in communication preferences at home and in offices, and environmental concerns have stonewalled the printing industry and challenged stakeholders like HP.
I’d argue that it’s not just technological, economic, and societal changes that have diminished printer businesses. For the average person, printers and their capabilities have become boring. When’s the last time you’ve heard of a new killer printer feature?
HP has received a lot of guff for alleged anti-consumer practices in its printer business, turning many people off the devices. But HP's latest print announcement is a rare example of a printer firm proposing new, potentially helpful features instead of questionable business tactics to drive business.
Frequent readers of Ars Technica (including myself) may be surprised to see me praising a printer company, especially HP. In recent years, HP has been a big driver of broken trust between printer brands and customers.