HP Inc. Apologizes for Move that Blocked Rival Printer Cartridges
September 28 2016 - 04:10PM
Dow Jones News
HP Inc. apologized for how it handled a recent move that stopped
ink cartridges supplied by other vendors from working with some HP
printers.
The company, which has long tried to restrict the use of rival
ink cartridges, said it should have better explained a new
authentication feature in software that stopped owners of HP
printers from using third-party cartridges that had previously
functioned. HP said it would issue an optional software update that
will remove the security feature involved in the issue.
"Although only a small number of customers have been affected,
one customer who has a poor experience is one too many," said Jon
Flaxman, HP's chief operating officer, in a statement issued
Wednesday.
HP, based in Palo Alto, Calif., gets most of its profit from
selling ink and toner cartridges for its printers. It has tried to
protect that business by taking steps that include using security
chips to help detect and prevent the use of unauthorized or
counterfeit cartridges.
For some of its inkjet printers, HP said it had distributed a
firmware update—a replacement of built-in software that handles
control functions in many kinds of electronic equipment. HP said
the update included a "dynamic security" feature that prevented
from working some untested third-party cartridges that use cloned
security chips, even if they had previously functioned.
Activation of that security feature recently set off a harsh
response from at least one competitor as well as the Electronic
Freedom Foundation, a San Francisco-based group known for taking
stands against government surveillance and other tech-policy
matters. The group sent a letter to Dion Weisler, HP's chief
executive, arguing among other things that HP's action could cause
customers to become wary of software updates that often improve
security.
"By giving tens of millions of your customers a reason to
mistrust your updates, you've put them at risk of future infections
that could compromise their business and home networks, their
sensitive data, and the gadgets that share their network with their
printers, from baby monitors to thermostats," wrote Cory Doctorow,
an EFF special adviser.
Complaints about the issue had also been raised by 123inkt.nl, a
Dutch supplier of printer cartridges that said it received many
complaints from customers whose printers had stopped functioning
recently. The company said on its website that it had become
possible to develop new chips to get around the HP security
features, which are now in production.
HP contends that it is important to limit the use of
unauthorized cartridges to protect its intellectual property,
safeguard user security and to make sure printer users get the best
experience. Mr. Flaxman said HP would continue such practices,
which may prevent some third-party supplies from working.
"However, we commit to improving our communication so that
customers understand our concerns about cloned and counterfeit
supplies," he added. "Again, to our loyal customers who were
affected we apologize."
Write to Don Clark at don.clark@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
September 28, 2016 15:55 ET (19:55 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2016 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
HP (NYSE:HPQ)
Historical Stock Chart
From Feb 2024 to Mar 2024
HP (NYSE:HPQ)
Historical Stock Chart
From Mar 2023 to Mar 2024