Archived version: https://archive.ph/3vfmc

How much ink does an all-in-one printer need in order to fax a document? Or to scan one to your computer? The obvious answer is ā€œnone.ā€ But if you own certain printers from companies like HP and Canon, you wonā€™t be able to use core features unless the device has inkā€”even if those features have nothing to do with ink.

Unfortunately, all-in-one printers arbitrarily demanding ink to perform non-printing functions isnā€™t a new frustration. And thatā€™s despite some companies having printers that can scan without ink. Clearly, scanning or faxing without requiring an ink cartridge would improve usersā€™ experienceā€”and theyā€™ve illustrated that through class-action lawsuits. But this hasnā€™t stopped printer makers from fighting to keep the nettlesome practice.

No ink, no scan

Since mid-2022, HP has been fighting a class-action lawsuit alleging that certain all-in-one printer models wonā€™t scan or fax without ink and that HP doesnā€™t properly disclose this to shoppers. On January 13, 2023, the complaint was dismissed but allowed to be amended (you can view the amended complaint here: [PDF]), and on August 10, a Northern District of California judge dismissed HPā€™s motion to dismiss the amended complaint [PDF].

HP Envy 6455e and HP Deskjet 2655 purchasers Gary Freund and Wayne McMath filed the complaint, which states that HP printers are designed to enter an error state when low or out of ink, preventing usage until the installment of a new ink cartridge. The plaintiffs are also peeved that HP marketing and advertising doesnā€™t clearly disclose this, the complaint says. The complaint also notes that an HP support agent has said that HP printers are ā€œdesigned in such a way that with the empty cartridge or without the cartridge the printer will not function.ā€

ā€œHPā€™s All-in-One Printers do not work as advertised. Ink is not a necessary component to scan or to fax a document,ā€ the complaint reads.

It adds:

Tying the scan or fax capabilities of the All-In-One Printers to ink contained in the devices offers no benefit and only serves to disadvantage and harm consumers financially. However, tying the scan or fax capabilities of the All-In-One Printers to ink contained in the devices does, however [sic], serve to benefit HP.

Anyone whoā€™s owned an inkjet printer knows how expensive ink can be. That suggests a reason to push people to buy ink through tactics like blocking core features if no ink is present and reportedly selling printers below cost. Ink-buying programs have also become cash cows. HP in 2021, for example, said its Instant Ink subscription business was worth $500 million, per CRN. In its Q2 2023 financial report, HP named Instant Ink a key growth area.

The complaint against HP says:

Indeed, HP designs its All-in-One printer products so they will not work without ink. Yet, HP does not disclose this fact to consumers. ā€¦ Even were it technically possible to scan a document without all ink cartridges present, HP does not disclose any ā€˜workaroundā€™ to consumers in any of the product packaging nor in any of HPā€™s advertising and marketing materials regarding its multi-function devices.

The complaint seeks monetary damages as well as the end of HPā€™s ā€œmisleading advertising and marketing campaignā€ and for HP to ā€œengage in a corrective campaign to inform consumers of the misleading advertising.ā€

Here are all the HP printer models listed in the complaint:

  • HP Deskjet 2755e
  • HP DeskJet 3755
  • HP DeskJet 4155e
  • HP ENVY 6055e
  • HP ENVY 6075
  • HP ENVY 6455
  • HP ENVY Pro 6475
  • HP OfficeJet 250 Mobile
  • HP OfficeJet Pro 7740 Wide Format
  • HP OfficeJet Pro 8025
  • HP DeskJet 2622
  • HP DeskJet 2655

HP declined to comment on this story.

Canonā€™s doing it, too

HP isnā€™t the only company demanding ink for scans and faxes. Itā€™s not even the only one that has faced litigation over it.

As noticed by The Verge, Canon back in March settled a class-action lawsuit [PDF] stating that Canon all-in-one printers canā€™t scan or fax with low or empty ink cartridges and its ā€œadvertising claims are false, misleading, and reasonably likely to deceive the public.ā€

The settlement terms werenā€™t disclosed, and Canon didnā€™t respond to Ars Technicaā€™s request for comment. But here are the models listed in that complaint:

  • MAXIFY GX7020
  • MAXIFY GX6020
  • PIXMA TS3520
  • PIXMA G3260
  • PIXMA G7020
  • PIXMA G2260
  • PIXMA MX330
  • PIXMA MX452
  • PIXMA TS9520
  • PIXMA TR8620
  • PIXMA TS6420
  • PIXMA TS6320
  • PIXMA TR4520
  • PIXMA MG3620
  • PIXMA MG2522
  • PIXMA TS3320
  • PIXMA TR7020
  • PIXMA TS9521C
  • PIXMA TS8320
  • PIXMA TR8520
  • PIXMA TR7520
  • ā€œand any and all predecessor modelsā€

Similarly to the HP situation, representatives on Canonā€™s support forum allegedly confirmed that certain all-in-one printer models require ā€œall ink tanks installed and they must all contain ink in order to use the functions of the printerā€ and that ā€œthere is no workaround for this.ā€

However, the posts that are linked to in the complaint (here and here) as of November 22, 2022, have a comment from a moderator saying, ā€œItā€™s possible to scan with an empty ink tank or cartridge.ā€ The support page provides instructions for disabling the function that detects ink levels.

Canon didnā€™t explain why its printers ever required ink to scan in the first place. But the company has at least agreed to instruct users on disabling the ink requirement, which is better than where HP is currently.

Semantics prioritized over customers

As of this writing, HP doesnā€™t seem to be working toward enabling its printers to scan and fax without ink. When trying to get the complaint dismissed, HP claimed that support agents who said printers are designed to not scan without ink donā€™t represent HP and were not referring to printer models owned by the complaintā€™s plaintiffs.

The printer industry has long had an issue with customer trust. HP, for instance, has bricked third-party ink (and issued other problematic printer firmware updates), along with the companyā€™s controversial HP+ program and region-locked printers . HP has already paid settlements for abruptly bricking third-party ink via its Dynamic Security ā€œfeature.ā€

The Verge noticed that HP at least changed its language for the Envy 6455eā€™s Amazon product page to say that you can ā€œprint, scan, and copy from your phoneā€”from whenever, whereverā€ to ā€œprint, scan, and copy from your phoneā€”from anywhere.ā€

Such semantic games feel more like HP seeking a loophole than trying to please customers.

Such corporation-first tactics may be why Epson thinks itā€™s dunking on competitors with its own support page dedicated to this topic. It reads, ā€œSince 2008, all Epson printers will scan even when there is little or no usable ink left in the cartridge.ā€

But, as is often the case with printers, a sneaky little caveat could abruptly ruin your day. As the support page also states:

However, all of the genuine Epson cartridges must be installed in the printer, even if depleted of usable ink and the printer displays the replace cartridge message.

So you still need an Epson ink cartridge to scan. If you happened to have tossed your ink cartridge when it became useless, your all-in-one printer could be virtually useless, too. (Epson didnā€™t respond to a request for comment.)

Itā€™s alarming that printer makers know customers feel swindled and confusedā€”but wonā€™t eliminate the problematic design. Printer vendors have become too bold in expecting customers to accept wordplay, settlements, and confusing support responses. Class-action lawsuits may light a fire under these companies, but it shouldnā€™t be up to disgruntled customers to complain to support agents, lawyers, and judges.

If printer companies canā€™t deliver a reliable, easy experience, customers will have no choice but to consider alternatives.

  • Mongostein@lemmy.ca
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    1 year ago

    Lame. I have an older HP so itā€™s not pestering me about ink subscriptions. I just get the printer ink kiosk at the mall to refill them and let it tell me ā€œlow inkā€ forever. I gotta figure out what kind of printer doesnā€™t suck before this one dies.