HP Printers
HP is the world's largest printer manufacturer, offering inkjet and laser printers for consumers and businesses. Its product lines include DeskJet, OfficeJet, ENVY, LaserJet, and HP+ cloud-connected printers, alongside the HP Instant Ink subscription service for consumables delivery.
Score generated by AI agents based on publicly cited evidence and reviewed by the project maintainer. Not independently validated. Last assessed 2026-09-24. Score revised 2026-09-24: 78 → 72.
Score History
Timeline events are AI-curated from public reporting. Score trajectory is derived from documented events.
HP launched the LaserJet in May 1984 and the DeskJet in 1988, pioneering affordable desktop laser and inkjet printing. Cartridges carried healthy margins but no electronic lockouts, and refillers competed freely; HP's patent suits against refillers failed, including the 1997 Repeat-O-Type ruling. The 'HP Way' culture still shaped how the company treated employees.
Carly Fiorina's appointment in July 1999 began a shareholder-first era that ran through the contested 2002 Compaq merger. Ink became HP's profit engine, priced above human blood per millilitre by 2006, and smart chips on cartridges began tracking ink levels and expiration dates. Class actions from 2005 alleged that the chips triggered premature low-ink warnings and hidden expiry shutdowns.
HP's September 2009 ITC complaint against cartridge makers, which produced a 2011 general exclusion order on infringing imports, marked a turn from tolerating the aftermarket to blocking it at the border. HP settled the ink-warning class actions in 2010 for up to $5 million in e-credits, launched the Instant Ink subscription in 2013, and announced 55,000 total layoffs before splitting into HP Inc. and HPE in November 2015. In March 2016 it distributed firmware containing a dormant cartridge lockout.
On September 13, 2016, the dormant Dynamic Security code activated and OfficeJet printers worldwide began rejecting third-party cartridges, some telling owners the cartridges were damaged. HP partially backed down after EFF pressure but re-pushed the lockout in 2017, compensated Australian buyers under a 2018 ACCC undertaking, and settled the first US class action for $1.5 million. It also bought Samsung's printer business, offered a free Instant Ink plan that printed ads, and announced 7,000-9,000 layoffs in 2019 before promising $16 billion in capital returns to fend off Xerox.
In November 2020 HP scrapped the free Instant Ink plan for new users, and weeks later Italy's AGCM fined it €10 million for deceptive and aggressive cartridge practices. HP+ printers launched in 2021 requiring a constant connection, an HP account and Original HP cartridges for life, while the HP Smart app demanded sign-in for scanning. HP kept pushing lockout firmware (November 2020, March 2023), had 527 aftermarket listings pulled from Amazon, settled with European consumers, cut jobs under the 2022 Future Ready plan and raised Instant Ink prices.
At Davos in January 2024, CEO Enrique Lores said HP's goal was to 'make printing a subscription' and called customers who use non-HP supplies a 'bad investment'; weeks later HP reported 13 million Instant Ink subscribers and began renting printers through the All-In Plan. Instant Ink prices rose again in 2025 and 2026, lockout firmware kept shipping (February 2025, January and March 2026), HP began selling advertising through HP Media Network, and a November 2025 restructuring targeted 4,000-6,000 jobs. HP withdrew its online-only e-series LaserJets in 2024 and won antitrust cases in the Netherlands and the US, and Lores' February 2026 departure has not changed the strategy.
Alternatives
Brother laser and inkjet printers have long been the go-to HP alternative for reliability and cheap toner. Caveat: in March 2025, repair advocate Louis Rossmann and users accused Brother of using firmware updates to degrade third-party toner (for example, disabling automatic color registration) and of removing older firmware downloads. Brother called the claims false, saying its firmware does not block third-party supplies, though it acknowledged troubleshooting may ask for genuine supplies. Nothing on the scale of HP's Dynamic Security lockouts has been shown, and no subscription or cloud account is needed for basic printing.
Epson's EcoTank printers use refillable ink tanks filled from bottles instead of chipped cartridges, which sidesteps cartridge DRM. Higher upfront cost than a budget HP inkjet, but bottle refills cost a fraction of cartridges over time, so it's a strong choice if you print often. Caveats: Epson's cartridge-based models, including many WorkForce printers, are not a clean escape, since a 2019 US class action alleged a firmware update blocked third-party cartridges; and Epson printers stop working when their waste-ink pad counter fills, requiring a service visit.
Dimensional Breakdown
Summaries below were written by AI agents based on the cited evidence. They are editorial interpretations, not independent research findings.
Dimension History
Timeline (64 events)
HP Establishes Premium Instrument Pricing Strategy
HP built its brand identity as a high-margin engineering vendor on premium-priced instruments. The HP-35, the world's first handheld scientific calculator, launched in 1972 at $395 (roughly $3,000 in today's dollars); HP cut the price several times before discontinuing the model in 1975. This premium-pricing culture carried into the printer business.
HP Launches First Desktop Laser Printer
HP introduced the LaserJet at COMDEX, the world's first commercially successful desktop laser printer priced at $3,495. The product became HP's single most successful product line and established the company as the dominant force in personal printing. The same year HP also launched the ThinkJet, its first mass-market inkjet printer.
HP DeskJet Launches Mass-Market Inkjet Printing
HP introduced the DeskJet inkjet printer with 300 dpi resolution at 2 pages per minute, establishing the consumer inkjet cartridge replacement business model. The DeskJet became the foundation for HP's consumer printing dominance and the razor-and-blades supplies revenue model that would define the company's profit structure for decades.
HP Loses Repeat-O-Type Cartridge Refill Patent Case
On August 12, 1997, the Federal Circuit ruled against HP in its patent suit against Repeat-O-Type Stencil Manufacturing, which sold new HP inkjet cartridges modified to allow refilling, finding the modifications fell within the buyer's implied license to use and repair. In a related case, refiller Nu-kote later won summary judgment that it had an implied license to practice nine HP patents. These losses established that HP could not use patent law alone to stop cartridge refilling, pushing the company toward chip-based technical enforcement.
Carly Fiorina Named CEO, Begins Shareholder-First Transformation
Carly Fiorina became HP's first outside CEO, replacing the company's traditional promotion-from-within culture. Her appointment signaled a shift from the founders' engineering-focused 'HP Way' toward aggressive shareholder value maximization. Fiorina would oversee the controversial Compaq acquisition (announced at about $25 billion) and nearly 30,000 layoffs tied to the merger, fundamentally altering HP's corporate culture and governance priorities.
HP Becomes First IT Company with Supplier Code of Conduct
HP launched the IT industry's first Supplier Code of Conduct, establishing supply chain labor, health, safety, and environmental standards. This was a genuinely pioneering move in the tech industry and helped establish baseline expectations for hardware manufacturing supply chains.
HP Completes Compaq Merger After Bitterly Contested Proxy Fight
HP completed its merger with Compaq in May 2002 after a bitterly contested proxy fight in which Walter Hewlett, son of co-founder Bill Hewlett, led shareholder opposition; the deal was approved by a razor-thin margin. Nearly three years later, when Fiorina was forced out, Wharton professors noted the combined company had lagged the market and rivals IBM and Dell, and Fortune's Carol Loomis concluded the merger had not produced value for HP shareholders.
SEC Fines Deutsche Bank Unit over Switched HP-Compaq Proxy Votes
The SEC censured Deutsche Asset Management and imposed a $750,000 penalty for failing to disclose a conflict of interest when voting client proxies in HP's 2002 Compaq merger vote. Deutsche Bank's investment banking arm was working for HP, which paid it $1 million for 'market intelligence' with another $1 million contingent on the deal. The asset-management unit first voted 17 million HP shares against the merger, then switched them in favor after a last-minute pitch by HP's top two executives. Walter Hewlett had challenged the vote in Delaware Chancery Court, alleging HP coerced Deutsche Bank; the judge cleared Fiorina and CFO Bob Wayman but said the evidence raised troubling questions about the bank's internal ethical wall. The SEC did not find the switch changed the outcome of the 51%-49% vote.
HP Ink Found to Cost More per Millilitre Than Human Blood
A widely reported comparison priced HP's #45 black ink cartridge ($30 for 42ml) at $0.71 per millilitre, above human blood from the Red Cross at $0.40 per millilitre, crude oil, vodka and penicillin. Macworld noted that a sub-$100 printer took a $30 cartridge, so three refills cost more than the printer itself.
Class Action Alleges HP Concealed Ink Cartridge Expiration Dates
The Blennis class action, filed January 17, 2007, alleged that HP concealed that certain of its inkjet cartridges contained an expiration date after which they would stop working regardless of how much ink remained. It was consolidated with two earlier suits alleging that HP printers reported cartridges as empty while they could still print (Ciolino, 2005) and that color printers used color ink to print black text (Rich, 2006). HP settled all three in 2010, offering up to $5 million in e-credits (at most $6 per printer) plus added disclosures; in 2013 the Ninth Circuit reversed the settlement's approval over its coupon-based attorneys' fee award.
HP Files ITC Complaint Against Third-Party Cartridge Makers
HP filed a Section 337 complaint with the International Trade Commission alleging patent infringement by 11 respondents selling HP 02-compatible inkjet cartridges, mostly Chinese and Hong Kong manufacturers plus US distributors. Two settled, one agreed to a consent order and the rest defaulted; in January 2011 the ITC issued a general exclusion order barring importation of infringing cartridges, a legal tool HP would use repeatedly against aftermarket competition.
HP Settles Smart-Chip Ink Warning Class Actions for $5M in E-Credits
HP agreed to settle In re HP Inkjet Printer Litigation and two related suits alleging that smart chips in its inkjet cartridges registered ink depletion prematurely, gave false low-ink warnings and shut cartridges down through hidden expiration dates. Class members could claim e-credits capped at $5 million in total for HP printers or supplies, and HP agreed to change certain software and user-guide messages about cartridge life.
HP Launches Instant Ink Subscription Service
HP introduced Instant Ink, a subscription service that ships replacement ink cartridges automatically, with smart cartridges reporting to HP when they are running low and customers paying a monthly fee based on how much they plan to print. HP marketed savings of up to 50% on printing costs. The model created a new category of recurring revenue from the installed printer base.
HP Announces Split and 55,000 Total Layoffs Under Meg Whitman
CEO Meg Whitman announced HP would split into two companies, completed in November 2015, and said it would cut an additional 5,000 jobs, bringing cuts under her restructuring to about 55,000. In September 2015 HP announced another 25,000-30,000 cuts, mostly in the enterprise services business that would become Hewlett Packard Enterprise. The PC and printing business became HP Inc., led by Dion Weisler, head of HP's printing and personal systems group.
HP SureSupply Pop-Ups Push Premature Cartridge Replacement
A May 2015 HP Support Community thread shows how HP's SureSupply notifications, delivered through HP's printer utility software, pushed users to reorder cartridges: a user reported dozens of reorder pop-ups a day while her HP cartridges still held about a quarter of their ink. Changing notification settings as HP's forum representative suggested did not stop them, and the representative's final suggestion was to uninstall the HP Utility. The notifications promoted HP's own supplies-ordering service, turning a printer utility into a sales channel.
Hewlett-Packard Splits Into HP Inc. and HPE
After 76 years as a single company, Hewlett-Packard split into HP Inc. (PCs and printers) and Hewlett Packard Enterprise (enterprise IT). HP Inc. retained the HPQ ticker symbol and the printing business. The split focused HP Inc. exclusively on consumer hardware and supplies, intensifying pressure to extract maximum revenue from the printer-and-ink profit engine.
HP Distributes Dynamic Security Time Bomb Firmware
HP pushed a firmware update to OfficeJet printers disguised as a security patch that contained a hidden countdown timer. The update appeared benign for five months but was programmed to activate on September 13, 2016, at which point it would detect and reject all third-party ink cartridges. Users had no notice that the update would change cartridge compatibility.
HP Wins Multiple Patent Infringement Actions Against Aftermarket Suppliers
HP announced victories in patent infringement actions against aftermarket cartridge suppliers in multiple jurisdictions. These wins followed the 2011 ITC general exclusion order and expanded HP's legal toolkit for suppressing third-party competition. HP pursued enforcement not just through US courts but through international trade bodies, establishing a global pattern of using IP law rather than product innovation to protect its cartridge monopoly.
Dynamic Security Activates, Blocking Third-Party Ink Worldwide
The hidden Dynamic Security code embedded in March 2016 firmware activated across OfficeJet printers worldwide, suddenly rejecting all third-party and refilled ink cartridges. Printers displayed error messages claiming cartridges were 'damaged or missing.' Consumers who had been using aftermarket cartridges for months discovered their printers were now locked to HP-only supplies with no warning or opt-out.
EFF Demands HP Remove Printer DRM
The Electronic Frontier Foundation issued a public letter demanding HP apologize to customers and remove the firmware that blocked third-party cartridges. The EFF warned that HP's use of DMCA Section 1201 to protect cartridge authentication chips could set a dangerous precedent for digital rights in physical products. HP partially reversed course days later, issuing an 'optional firmware update' to restore third-party cartridge compatibility on affected models.
HP Backtracks on Dynamic Security After Backlash
Following massive public outcry and the EFF's demands, HP issued an apology and promised an optional firmware update to restore third-party cartridge compatibility on affected OfficeJet models. However, the reversal applied only to specific models identified in complaints and did not commit HP to abandoning Dynamic Security on future products or firmware releases.
French Group HOP Files Planned-Obsolescence Complaint Naming HP
French advocacy group Halte à l'Obsolescence Programmée (HOP) filed a criminal complaint with the Nanterre public prosecutor for planned obsolescence and deception, formally against persons unknown but naming HP, Canon, Brother and especially Epson. It alleged that printer parts such as ink absorber pads were falsely reported as worn out and that printing was blocked on the pretext that cartridges were empty while ink remained. HOP also accused the manufacturers of obstructing the use of cheaper generic cartridges to keep control of the lucrative ink business. Under France's 2015 law the offense carries up to two years' imprisonment and a €300,000 fine, which can rise to 5% of annual turnover. It was the first French legal action under the planned-obsolescence law.
HP Re-Pushes Dynamic Security Firmware to OfficeJet Printers
About a year after the 2016 backlash, HP released new firmware for OfficeJet 6800, OfficeJet Pro 6200, OfficeJet Pro X 450 and OfficeJet Pro 8600 series printers that again made third-party cartridges fail with 'cartridges appear to be damaged' errors, delivered under the Dynamic Security banner. HP offered alternate firmware without Dynamic Security on its support site, but users had to find and install it and then turn off automatic updates to keep it.
HP Adds Free Instant Ink Plan That Prints Ads
HP introduced a free Instant Ink plan covering 15 pages a month for the life of the printer. To qualify, users had to keep a payment card on file and accept promotional emails, and HP sent advertisements directly to the printer after every five pages printed; extra pages were billed in paid sets. HP ended the plan for new subscribers in December 2020.
HP Acquires Samsung Printer Division for $1.05 Billion
HP completed its acquisition of Samsung Electronics' printer business for $1.05 billion, gaining 1,300 researchers and 6,500 patents. The acquisition was HP's largest print deal ever, consolidating its dominance in laser printing by absorbing Samsung's A3 multifunction printer portfolio and manufacturing capabilities. Samsung also made a $100-300 million equity investment in HP.
HP Agrees to Compensate Australian Buyers over Dynamic Security
HP's Australian subsidiary gave the ACCC a court-enforceable undertaking to pay $50 to each customer prevented from using non-HP cartridges, after the regulator found buyers of about 220,000 mostly OfficeJet Pro printers were not told non-HP cartridges might not work and that some printers had displayed messages saying rejected cartridges were damaged. HP also made available firmware removing the feature from certain inkjet models, while saying it would keep using Dynamic Security in select printers.
Dynamic Security Class Action Settles for $1.5 Million
HP reached a class action settlement over the 2016 Dynamic Security firmware incident, paying $1.5 million to a class of affected consumers and agreeing not to reactivate Dynamic Security on the specific printer models at issue. The settlement was modest relative to the scope of impact and did not prevent HP from deploying similar restrictions on other printer models or future products.
New CEO Lores Announces 7,000-9,000 Layoffs
Incoming CEO Enrique Lores announced a restructuring plan to cut 7,000-9,000 employees (up to 16% of HP's 55,000 workforce) through fiscal 2022 via layoffs and voluntary early retirement, with most cuts falling on back-office corporate functions and about $1 billion in savings projected by the end of the period. HP simultaneously authorized $5 billion in new share buybacks and pledged to return 75% of free cash flow to shareholders the following year.
Xerox Pursues Hostile Takeover Bid for HP
Xerox, backed by activist investor Carl Icahn who held stakes in both companies, pursued a hostile takeover of HP after HP's board rejected its November 2019 offer. In January 2020 Xerox moved to nominate its own slate of HP directors, and in February it raised its offer to $24 per share, valuing HP at about $34 billion; HP's board rejected that too. HP countered by pledging to return $16 billion to shareholders, primarily through buybacks. Xerox withdrew the bid in March 2020, citing COVID-19.
Florida Lawsuit Over Covert DRM Firmware Update
John Parziale of Florida filed a class action complaint after discovering HP had automatically updated his two OfficeJet printers via auto-update to reject third-party ink cartridges he had already purchased and installed. The case highlighted that HP continued deploying covert firmware updates to enforce cartridge lock-in even after the 2018 settlement, and that auto-update settings gave users no meaningful opportunity to avoid the restriction.
HP Kills Free Instant Ink Tier
HP announced it would eliminate the free 15-page-per-month Instant Ink tier that had been offered since approximately 2017 as an incentive for subscription enrollment. New customers would need to pay at least $0.99/month. After backlash, HP reversed course on December 15 for existing subscribers, but all new sign-ups were locked into paid tiers. This marked HP's first direct extraction from the Instant Ink subscriber base.
EFF Publishes 'Ink-Stained Wretches' Essay on HP's Printer Practices
The Electronic Frontier Foundation published 'Ink-Stained Wretches: The Battle for the Soul of Digital Freedom Taking Place Inside Your Printer,' an essay casting HP as the printer industry's leading innovator in anti-customer tactics, from converting its free-ink-for-life plan into a paid one to cartridge security chips and patent claims used to have rival cartridges seized at the US border. The essay framed HP's printer practices as a test case for digital rights in physical products.
Italy's AGCM Fines HP €10 Million for Deceptive and Aggressive Practices
Italy's competition authority fined HP Inc and HP Italy €10 million, finding that HP did not adequately disclose at purchase that Dynamic Security firmware makes printers refuse non-original cartridges, renewed those limits through firmware updates without explaining their consequences, and recorded cartridge-usage data without informing consumers, using it for commercial strategy and to deny warranty service. HP was ordered to change its printer packaging within 120 days.
Class Action Filed over November 2020 Cartridge-Blocking Firmware
Mobile Emergency Housing Corp. and other plaintiffs sued HP in federal court in California, alleging that firmware updates pushed to printers in late 2020 acted as malware by rendering third-party ink and toner cartridges incompatible, without warning owners or letting them decline. The parties reached an agreement in principle in August 2024.
HP+ Cloud-Locked Printers Launch Worldwide
HP rolled out HP+ worldwide in 2021, a printer program sold in orange-striped boxes alongside regular versions of the same models. Once activated, HP+ requires an HP account, a constant internet connection and the use of Original HP cartridges for the life of the printer, and it cannot be undone. Buyers of HP+ inkjet models choose during setup whether to enroll, while HP+ laser models require it. HP sweetens enrollment with a free Instant Ink trial and an extended warranty.
Class Action Filed Over Scanning Disabled When Ink Low
A proposed class action alleged that HP all-in-one printers are designed to stop scanning and faxing when any ink cartridge is low or empty, even though those functions need no ink, in order to drive sales of cartridges costing roughly $30 each, and that HP never disclosed this in its marketing.
HP Settles with Euroconsumers over Dynamic Security
HP agreed to set up a fund of up to $1.35 million to compensate printer owners in Belgium, Italy, Spain and Portugal who were not told their printers used Dynamic Security to limit third-party cartridges, paying flat amounts of €20-50 per printer depending on the model. The agreement included no admission of wrongdoing.
HP Smart App Requires Account Login to Scan
An IT consultant's blog documented that HP Smart, HP's printer utility app, had begun requiring users to create and sign in to an HP account before they could scan with their own networked scanners, a change he dated to 2020, with no option to decline. He questioned whether forcing account creation for a feature that previously needed none complied with the EU's GDPR, and noted the app would not scan without an internet connection either.
HP Announces 4,000-6,000 Layoffs in Future Ready Plan
HP announced its 'Future Ready Transformation' plan cutting 4,000-6,000 employees through fiscal 2025, with estimated restructuring costs of $1 billion ($600 million in fiscal 2023 alone). The plan targeted $1.4 billion in annualized cost savings while HP continued returning billions to shareholders through dividends and buybacks despite declining printing revenue.
HP Gets 527 Aftermarket Cartridge Listings Removed from Amazon
HP identified 527 Amazon listings across the US and nine European countries featuring third-party LaserJet cartridges with clone chips that HP claimed violated its copyrighted authentication code. HP successfully had the listings removed, demonstrating its ability to use IP enforcement to suppress aftermarket competition on major retail platforms without requiring litigation.
March 2023 Firmware Update Blocks Third-Party Ink Again
HP released a firmware update affecting OfficeJet Pro 6970, 6968, 6978, 7740, and other models that completely blocked third-party ink cartridges. Unlike earlier updates that showed bypassable warnings, the March 2023 update cancelled print jobs entirely until an HP cartridge was installed. This was the most aggressive firmware enforcement yet, confirming HP had abandoned the partial reversal from 2016.
HP Raises Instant Ink Prices, Up 50% on Cheapest Plan
HP emailed Instant Ink subscribers (first reported in Germany) that plan prices would rise from January 23, 2024. The cheapest 10-page plan rose from €0.99 to €1.49 a month (about 50%), the 50-page plan from €3.99 to €4.99, and larger plans by roughly 10-17%. Combined with subscription lock-in and cartridge disabling upon cancellation, subscribers faced mounting costs with limited exit options.
Antitrust Class Action Alleges Ink Cartridge Monopoly
Milberg Coleman Bryson & Phillips filed an antitrust class action in Illinois federal court alleging HP used Dynamic Security firmware to create a monopoly over the replacement ink cartridge aftermarket. The lawsuit alleged HP blocked third-party cartridges through late 2022/early 2023 firmware updates and simultaneously raised prices on HP cartridges and Instant Ink subscriptions, forcing consumers to pay inflated prices for the only compatible supplies.
HP CEO Calls Non-HP Ink Users 'Bad Investment' at Davos
In a CNBC interview at the World Economic Forum in Davos, HP CEO Enrique Lores defended blocking third-party cartridges as protecting HP's IP and claimed third-party cartridges can 'embed viruses' that travel through printers to networks. HP's evidence was a 2022 bug-bounty finding that reprogrammable third-party chips could carry malware; security experts disputed the practical risk, and no real-world attack has been reported. Lores also said HP's long-term objective is to 'make printing a subscription' and called customers who don't print enough or don't use HP supplies a 'bad investment' for the company.
HP Reports 13 Million Instant Ink Subscribers, Launches Printer Rental
CEO Enrique Lores told a Morgan Stanley conference that HP had more than 13 million subscribers 'that pay us every month to print', and that paper delivery added to Instant Ink in 2023 brings 'more margin per customer'. HP had just opened its All-In Plan in the US, renting Envy or OfficeJet printers with ink for a monthly fee under a two-year contract with cancellation fees.
Scan-When-Ink-Low Class Action Ends in Stipulated Dismissal
The Freund v. HP class action, which alleged that HP all-in-one printers refuse to scan or fax when a cartridge is low or empty and had survived HP's motion to dismiss in August 2023, ended when the plaintiffs filed a stipulation of dismissal that the court approved on March 28, 2024.
Italian Court Upholds €10 Million Fine over Dynamic Security
The Regional Administrative Tribunal for Lazio rejected HP's appeal against the Italian competition authority's 2020 decision, upholding the €10 million fine for failing to inform consumers that Dynamic Security limits non-original cartridges and requiring HP to state the restrictions clearly on printer packaging.
HP Previews SecuReuse Reusable Chips for Remanufacturers
HP previewed SecuReuse, a program letting cartridge remanufacturers reset spent HP chips so they work like new HP chips, tracking supply levels and staying compatible through firmware updates, addressing the aftermarket's biggest complaint about remanufacturing HP cartridges. Until then, reused spent chips triggered low-supply and 'used or counterfeit' messages, while third-party chips risked being blocked by Dynamic Security updates.
HP Discontinues Online-Only e-Series LaserJets
After customer complaints, HP discontinued its cheaper e-series LaserJet printers, which required HP+ with a permanent internet connection and Original HP toner only, along with the HP+ and Instant Ink toner subscription tied to them. Existing owners could keep using their printers.
Dynamic Security Class Action Settles Without Monetary Relief
The second major Dynamic Security class action (filed December 2020 over a November 2020 firmware update) was settled in August 2024 and approved by Judge Susan van Keulen in March 2025. HP paid no compensation to affected customers and admitted no wrongdoing; it paid $725,000 in attorneys' fees and $5,000 to each of three named plaintiffs, and let owners of specified printer models decline or remove Dynamic Security firmware. The settlement was widely described as a disappointment, demonstrating HP's ability to outlast class actions without meaningful consequence.
Instant Ink 'Kill Switch' Class Action Filed
A $5 million class action filed in the Central District of California by HP printer owner Donald Hall alleges HP uses a 'kill switch' to disable Instant Ink cartridges, and the printer, when customers cancel their subscriptions, even if the cartridges contain usable ink. Hall alleges that after cancelling, his printer said the cartridges were unusable unless he re-enrolled for a mandatory 30-day period, and that cartridges bought while subscribed stayed disabled even after he did. The suit claims breach of contract and fraud by omission for failing to disclose the disabling mechanism.
HP Raises Instant Ink Prices Across All Tiers
HP raised Instant Ink subscription prices across all page tiers in April 2025; in the US the 10-page plan rose from $1.49 to $1.79 a month and the 700-page plan from $27.99 to $31.99. Charges for additional page sets beyond a plan's allowance rose 50%, from $1.00 to $1.50. Each increase applied to a captive user base facing cartridge disabling if they cancelled.
HP Launches Media Network Advertising Business
HP began pitching HP Media Network to advertisers, claiming to reach 160 million monthly US users across 19 million devices and 830 million users globally. The network sells ads on HP computers and apps, including 'Toast' pop-up ads in the corner of laptop screens, and HP said it is building a free ad-supported streaming service with in-stream, pause and carousel ads. Ads can be targeted using device data, app usage, email addresses, purchase history and location.
Judge Dismisses Robinson Antitrust Suit with Leave to Amend
The federal court in Illinois dismissed in its entirety the January 2024 putative class action alleging HP used Dynamic Security firmware updates to monopolize replacement cartridges, but let the plaintiffs file an amended complaint, which they did.
HP Announces 4,000-6,000 More Layoffs Amid AI Pivot
HP announced a second round of 4,000-6,000 layoffs to be completed by fiscal 2028, targeting about $1 billion in annualized gross run-rate savings by the end of fiscal 2028. The cuts were framed as an AI-focused restructuring, but came while HP maintained 18-19% printing margins and returned $1.9 billion to shareholders in fiscal 2025 through dividends and buybacks. CEO Lores received $19.36 million in fiscal 2024 compensation, a 278:1 pay ratio versus median employee pay of $69,571.
Instant Ink Kill-Switch Suit Goes to Ninth Circuit
After the district court dismissed his class action alleging HP disables Instant Ink cartridges when subscribers cancel, plaintiff Donald Hall filed his reply brief asking the Ninth Circuit to revive the case. No appellate ruling had been reported as of September 2026.
Firmware 2602A/B Extends Cartridge Blocking Despite EPEAT 2.0
HP released firmware 2602A/B, which extends Dynamic Security's blocking of cartridges with non-HP chips to at least 11 printer models, including the OfficeJet Pro 7720 introduced nearly nine years earlier. The remanufacturers' trade group Int'l ITC said the update conflicts with EPEAT 2.0, which took effect in December 2025 and bars certified printers from blocking remanufactured cartridges; no printers had registered under EPEAT 2.0.
CEO Enrique Lores Steps Down; Bruce Broussard Named Interim CEO
Enrique Lores, CEO since 2019, stepped down as President, CEO and director to pursue another professional opportunity. Board member Bruce Broussard, a former Humana CEO, became interim CEO, and the board formed a search committee for a permanent successor.
Firmware 2606/2607 Disables Remanufactured Toner, Trade Group Says
The Int'l ITC said HP firmware versions 2606 and 2607 had made a significant number of remanufactured toner cartridges unusable in HP's 4000-series, 4001 and 4101 LaserJets and affected selected OfficeJet Pro models using HP 910 and 962 cartridges, contrary to EPEAT 2.0 criteria that HP helped develop. HP says Dynamic Security protects performance and security.
HP Server Change Leaves Older OfficeJets Unusable
A Quebec customer showed The Register internal HP records, obtained through a privacy access request, attributing his five-year-old OfficeJet 4650's failure after a firmware update to a server update affecting connectivity to HP Instant Ink, with an alert titled 'Gen1 printers losing connection to Web Services' and notes calling the printer 'likely at end of service life'. He said the issue was never fixed and filed complaints with Canada's Competition Bureau and Quebec's consumer protection office; HP denied a systemic issue and offered a refurbished replacement.
Dutch Supreme Court Rejects 123inkt Abuse Claim over Dynamic Security
The Supreme Court of the Netherlands upheld rulings that retailer 123inkt had not shown HP holds a dominant position in a cartridge or printer-systems market, ending its competition claim over Dynamic Security. It sent back to the appeal court HP's challenge to an earlier finding that HP wrongly claimed its original cartridges were superior to non-HP cartridges.
New Instant Ink Plans Take Effect; Monthly Prices Higher
HP emailed subscribers in May 2026 that new Instant Ink plans, including prepaid yearly plans, would take effect on June 30, 2026. By September 2026 HP's US plans page listed monthly plans of $1.99 (10 pages), $5.99 (50), $8.49 (100), $16.99 (300) and $32.99 (700), up from $1.79-$31.99 after the April 2025 increase; every page costs the same regardless of ink used.
India Fines HP over Printer-Supplies Bid-Rigging Cartel
The Competition Commission of India found that HP India acted as the hub of a cartel among its authorised resellers, coordinating cover bids, prices and customer allocation in 29 government e-marketplace tenders for HP ink and toner supplies (and 7 for PCs) during 2017-2020, partly to stop resellers switching to cheaper counterfeit cartridges. Fines across both orders totalled about ₹139 crore ($14.4 million) for HP, plus penalties on resellers.
Robinson Antitrust Suit Dismissed Again
The Illinois federal court granted HP's motion to dismiss the amended Robinson complaint, holding that HP's disclaimer that third-party ink 'may not work' truthfully disclosed its position and that plaintiffs had not alleged HP conditioned printer sales on buying HP cartridges, so no tying claim was plausible.
Evidence (58 citations)
D1: User Value Erosion
D2: Business Customer Exploitation
D3: Shareholder Extraction
D4: Lock-in & Switching Costs
D5: Twiddling & Algorithmic Opacity
D6: Dark Patterns
D7: Advertising & Monetization Pressure
D8: Competitive Conduct
D9: Labor & Governance
D10: Regulatory & Legal Posture
Scoring Log (9 entries)
Checked 2 alternatives. Epson: 'EcoTank and WorkForce lines use refillable tanks' was false for cartridge-based WorkForce models, which faced a 2019 firmware-blocking class action; narrowed to EcoTank and added waste-ink-pad caveat. Brother: dated the controversy (March 2025) and stated Brother's full denial accurately. Canon considered; not added.
Checked 14 removed/trimmed claims: 0 restored, 2 partly restored, 10 confirmed removed, 2 already present. Partly restored: Compaq merger Deutsche Bank/SEC fine and Walter Hewlett coercion suit (added as new 2003-08-19 timeline event, InformationWeek, plus SEC release 2003-100 as d9 evidence; the 30% stock drop, $24.2B value, 'narrowest vote' and AOL comparison stay out; ~30,000 layoffs already in timeline[4]); HOP complaint's accusation that makers obstruct generic cartridges (HOP press release; '20% remaining' and firmware claims unsupported). Already present: Instant Ink cartridge disabling on cancellation (timeline Kill-Switch suit, price-rise items); April 2025 overage rise $1.00-$1.50 (timeline 2025-04-01). Confirmed removed: 1998 HP EEPROM chip event (RTM World credits OEMs generally), 2013 chipmaker warnings, 2014 Instant Ink setup enrollment (forum-only), 5M Instant Ink subscribers in 2018 (HP said it first passed 6M in Feb 2020), HP-35 'cheaper alternatives', 2007 install-by disabling (HP support doc says cartridges can be installed after install-by date), SureSupply page-count estimation, printing-division headcount cuts at split, HP Smart 'certain features' claim, Linford Office retailer blog.
Checked 89 items (45 timeline, 39 evidence, 5 milestones) + all prose. 41 verified, 29 corrected (9 date-only), 12 re-sourced, 7 removed (4 unverifiable/unsupported timeline events, 3 junk/vendor evidence sources). Invented: a quoted HP third-party-cartridge error message (D6) and the claim that HOP alleged HP cartridges report low ink at 20% remaining (timeline + D5). Other fixes: HP+ lock-in is activation/firmware-based not hardware; Compaq stock drop and deal value; Instant Ink price history; 2019 layoffs were back-office; HOP complaint named HP but targeted persons unknown; Lores now former CEO; ink price per ounce ($80+, not $100+).
78→72. D1 9→8 (recalibration: firmware lockouts and HP+ restrictions fit 8, not near-10; HP+ optional on inkjets, e-series withdrawn 2024, scan-when-low suit ended in stipulated dismissal 2024), D2 8→7 (recalibration: retroactive firmware lockouts continue into 2026 but aftermarket survives via reused HP chips and SecuReuse; 8-9 needs no viable alternative), D4 9→8 (recalibration: DRM + Instant Ink cancellation disabling + HP+ permanence, but brand exit is cheap and HP+ optional), D5 8→7 (correction: fact audit removed invented '20% ink remaining' claim and 'HP conceded' framing; HP now discloses 'may not work', upheld by US court 2026), D6 8→7 (correction: fabricated error message removed, printed-ad reports rest on one forum post, HP+ does not auto-enroll; AGCM/ACCC findings support 7), D10 8→7 (correction: no DMCA 1201 use documented, HOP investigation focused on Epson; AGCM fine, ACCC undertaking and 2026 CCI fine support 7). D3/D7/D8/D9 unchanged (D7 8 now rests on 2026 price rise, rental, yearly plans and printer-data ad targeting; Media Network event downgraded to major/+1). Eras: all 6 re-dated to inflection events: Printer Innovation 1984-06-01→1984-05-22 (LaserJet); Supplies Profit Model 2000-01-01→1999-07-19 (Fiorina CEO); 'Subscription & IP Enforcement' 2013-01-01→2009-09-23 (ITC complaint) and relabeled 'ITC Enforcement & Instant Ink'; Dynamic Security Warfare 2016-09-01→2016-09-13 (activation); Subscription Lock-in Push 2020-11-01→2020-11-04 (free tier killed); final era 2026-02-15 (assessment date)→2024-01-19 (Davos 'make printing a subscription') and relabeled 'Terminal Extraction'→'Printing as a Subscription'. Era scores 19/36/49/64/69/72. Since Feb 2026: CEO Lores out (Feb 3), firmware 2602A/B and 2606/2607 lockouts vs EPEAT 2.0, OfficeJet cloud cutoff case, Dutch Supreme Court win (Jun 5), new Instant Ink plans with higher prices (Jun 30), India CCI supplies bid-rigging fine (Jul 13), Robinson dismissed again (Sep 1), Hall kill-switch appeal pending. Added Compaq merger milestone.
Triaged 2026-06-29; no rescore warranted (no material change since baseline, or changes sub-threshold).
D3 summary: corrected '$1 billion in annual cost savings' to '$1 billion in cumulative savings by end of fiscal 2028'; clarified two separate restructuring rounds (2022 and 2025)
Updated Brother Printers description — 2025 firmware update controversy makes 'no firmware warfare' claim misleading