Most businesses suffered a printer breach
– Article recently published by CISO (Chief Information Security Officer) magazine
– 60% of businesses have suffered a print-related data breach in 2018
– The resulting data loss has cost companies an average of $400,000
– “Businesses must take a proactive approach to analyze the potential vulnerabilities of print environments”
– Some MFPs equipped with fax boards, according to Check Point research, allow a hacker to steal data from network using just a phone line and the fax number
HP Inc. reports earnings
– Published results for Q1 of 2019
– Total net revenue up 1% to $14.7 billion (for all divisions, including PCs, laptops, etc.)
– Spent $969 million on share repurchases to boost stock price (instead of using for R&D or acquisitions)
– Printing division (PPS, MFPs, printers, 3D)revenue down 0.7% to $5.056 billion
o Operating profit of $821 million
o Operating margin of 16.2%
Supplies revenue down 3% to $3.3 billion
o Total hardware units (laser and inkjet) up 3%
o Commercial hardware units (LaserJet, etc.) up 4%
§ Company claims to have 9% marketshare of A3 MFPs
o Consumer hardware units (OfficeJet, etc.) up 2%
Ricoh launches new production b/w
– New Pro 8300 series replaces existing Pro 8200 series
– Two models, one is 111ppm and one is 136ppm
– Max duty cycle of 4 million per month
– Optional booklet maker supports up to 30 sheet booklets at 80gsm with trimming
– Optional long sheet handling
– Optional 4500 sheet stacking
– Air assist for coated media
– Supports up to 350gsm
– 2400x4800dpi
– 17” touchscreen color LCD control panel
– Use EFI Fiery print server
Ricoh buys security software company
– Announced it has acquired ZeedSecurity Software, headquartered in Spain
– Platform enables assessment and maintenance of security across connected devices on network
– Uses AI (artificial intelligence) to collect real-time info, assess vulnerability levels and advise on action to mitigate risk
Ricoh partners with Cisco
– Will use Cisco to provide cloud security solutions to “empower digital workplaces”
– Integrate Ricoh MFPs with Cisco Identity Service Engine, to automate operation and management of connected devices and security settings
– Jointly developed applications will work with Ricoh MFP’s Smart Integration
Kyocera ships 4 new A3 color laser MFPs
– Introduced TASKalfa 6053ci series
– Base MSRPs of $22,358 for 6053ci (55ppm color), $17,464 for 5053ci (50ppm color), $15,134 for 4053ci (40ppm color) and $11,832 for 3553ci (35ppm color)
– Advertised as offering 4800x1200dpi (does not offer true 8 bits per pixel imaging)
– 17 second warmup time
– 6.2 second first color copy out time
– 10.1” touchscreen color LCD control panel
o Optional keyboard
– Document feeder options:
o DP-7130 scans up to 220ipm, or 110opm
§ Scans both sides of original at same time
§ Holds up to 270 originals
§ Multi-feed detection
o Reversing document feeder
– Optional fax board
– Comes standard with 150 sheet bypass and two 500 sheet paper drawers
o Max of 7,150 sheet capacity with options
o Supports banner sheets up to 48”
o Supports up to 300gsm
o Auto duplex up to 256gsm
– Optional finishing includes stapling, booklet-making, hole-punching, folding
– Built-in print controller
o 1.2GHz processor
o PCL, PS and XPS print drivers standard
o 4GB RAM
o 8GB SSD
o 320GB hard drive
o
Optional data security kit required to provide ISO/IEEE certified security
o 10/100/1000BaseT & USB ports
o Scan to email, FTP, SMB, USB, Box, TWAIN, WSD
§ Optional OCR board
o Optional EFI Fiery
Kyocera ships 3 new A3 b/w laser MFPs
– Similar to the new color models mentioned above
– Base MSRPs of $12,353 for 6003i (60ppm), $10,500 for 5003i (50ppm) and $9,123 for 4003i (40ppm)
Ricoh partners with Cisco
– Will use Cisco to provide cloud security solutions to “empower digital workplaces”
– Integrate Ricoh MFPs with Cisco Identity Service Engine, to automate operation and management of connected devices and security settings
– Jointly developed applications will work with Ricoh MFP’s Smart Integration
Xerox and Fujifilm battle update
– Recently, Xerox’s motion to dismiss Fujifilm’s claim for $1 billion from Xerox was scuttled by Judge Koeltl who sided with Fujifilm and allowed the lawsuit to proceed
– In most cases, after major motions like this are decided, parties become more likely to settle
– Xerox could choose to pursue a jury trial
– proposed scheduling order is due March 11, 2019
– Xerox’s answer to the complaint is due March 15, 2019
Xerox launches Instant Print Kiosk
– Offers access to popular cloud services, as well as printing, copying, scanning and faxing applications
– Aimed at campuses, shopping centers and business venues
– Variety of card-based payments options supported
– Large touchscreen display
– Pricing not published
Xerox wins production print contract
– Award from Braintree Printing of Braintree, Massachusetts
– Installed two iGen 5 150 production color laser systems
– Reasons given for choosing include:
o Color Maintenance Tool
o Inline Spectrophotometer
o Auto Density Control System
o Object Oriented Halftoning
o 250 line screen
Xerox discusses marketshare
– For 2019, projects that it will experience a 5% decline in revenue
– Plans on restructuring to increase net income by 76%
– Claims that the total market for A3 MFPs is $19 billion
o Projects total A3 MFP market will decline 6%
o Claims it has largest A3 marketshare at 20%
– Claims that the total A4 market is $14 billion
o Projects total A4 market will increase 2%
o Claims to have 5% of A4 market
– Claims that total managed print services market is $27 billion
o Projects growth of 3%
o Claims to have largest marketshare at 21%
– Claims that production color market is $6 billion
o Projects growth at 2%
o Claims to have largest marketshare at 28%
– Claims that production b/w market is $1 billion
o Projects market will decline by 12%
o Claims to have largest marketshare at 28%
– Digital packaging and print market is $5 billion and growing by 11%
– Artificial intelligence workflow assistant market is $2 billion and growing by 45%
– 3D printing/digital manufacturing market is $8 billion and growing by 25%
– Sensors/services for IoT is $8 billion market and growing by 9%
Thoma Bravo makes another buy
– Is currently the private equity firm that owns Hyland, Kofax, and other solution providers
– Announced it has acquired ConnectWise, headquartered in Tampa, FL
o Vendor for business process automation platforms
§ business tool also has reporting and dashboards and uses over 300 third-party integrations
o 24,098 authorized partners support more than 6.5 million endpoints
o $243 million in annual revenues
o 161,000 users
Sharp launches 6 new A3 color laser MFPs
– Now shipping in Japan, and will ship in U.S. in summer of 2019
– MX-6171, MX-6151, MX-5171, MX-5151, MX-4171 & MX-4151
– Color speeds range from 41ppm to 61ppm top speed
– 4 tandem OPC drum design
– 10.1” color touchscreen LCD control panel
– Voice assist
– Document feeder has top scan speed of 220ipm or 110opm
o Scans both sides of original at same time
– Optional Amazon Alexa powered voice feature
Canon provides more details on last quarter
– Overall net sales down 5.5% to $9.4 billion
– Gross profit dropped 10.4% to $4.3 billion
– Operating profit up 30% to $882 million
– Office Business division (MFPs, printers) revenue down 1.2% to $4.2 billion
o Operating profit up 59.2% to $537.7 million
o MFP revenue down 3.8% to $1.61 billion
Canon gives more details on new MFPs
– New imageRUNNER ADVANCE “III” series, replaces “II” series
– Kristin Goldberg, Director of Marketing, was interviewed to discuss new security features
– “major focus with the 3rd edition models is security”
– “this new edition extends beyond traditional MFP security features to help prevent unauthorized access to organizational assets”
– Incorporates integration with SIEM (security information and event management) systems
– “Verify System at Startup”, utilizes RoT (root of trust) to protect device boot code, firmware and apps from unauthorized modifications
o Automatic security certificate updates
– “Unified Firmware Platform (UFP)” version 3.8
o Allows for version upgrades
o Possible to add more features in future
o Visual message enhancements
Fujitsu offers device as a service program
– The new “Scanner Subscription Service” is $59.95 per month per device
– Includes fi-7300NS scanner (60ppm model), Ethernet & USB ports, WiFi and PaperStream NX Manager software
– Includes consumables and advanced exchange for service
– Minimum of 6 month contract
– Available from Fujitsu dealers
Toshiba exec discusses future products
– Dr. Shiro Saito, in charge of R&D, was interviewed in Singapore recently
– “Toshiba’s aim is to be a company that solves social problems with technologies that fuse the cyber and the physical, real world”
– Company plans on investing 930 billion yen over next 5 years
o “quantum cryptographic communication is a technology that enables safe transmission of extremely confidential information”
o Renewable energy technologies
o SCiB (super charge ion battery)
o Power electronics
o Robotics
o Heavy particle beam cancer treatment equipment
o Biodegradable liposomes (for cancer discovery)
England to get rid of fax by 2021?
– The National Health Service (NHS) of England had its leader, Matt Hancock, announced that all pagers and fax machines will be eliminated by end of 2021
– NHS trusts will not be allowed to purchase fax machines or fax boards starting immediately
– Fax to be phased out by April, 2020
– NHS hospital trusts currently own over 8,000 fax machines
– “ludicrous that trusts remained stubbornly attached to using archaic fax machines for significant proportion of their communications”
