Multifunction Printer Champions Invest in Innovation to Keep Up with Modern Work Environments

Author(s): Gord Harrison

A recent Multifunction Printer (MFP) Vendor Landscape report published by Info-Tech Research Group, ranked HP, Canon, Konica Minolta and Xerox as Champions in the MFP market.  In a market that has experienced little innovation in the last 3-5 years, these vendors have made progress in areas of mobile printing, security options, green features, and integration capabilities including customized integration proving they are in tune with modern business needs.   

“The needs of businesses are changing and the focus is evolving from consolidation and cutting back on printing completely, to managed printing and the ability to print from any device, in any location and do it securely,” said Melanie Davy, Senior Analyst with Info-Tech Research Group. “Green printing practices are also becoming a major focus for this market.  Energy management and user access controls will easily become table stakes for enterprises in the next few years.”

According to the Vendor Landscape report, HP offers the most value for money in the MFP market and received the Overall Value Award.  HP impresses with their mobile offering and environmental stewardship and ranked as a Champion in the report.

Canon is another Champion in the market.  Their strong, feature rich product offering comes at a price, but their focus on innovation is unparalleled.  In 2010 Canon spent $3.9B on innovation which is the highest among the Champions in the report.  Their MFP solution’s compatibility with MEAP, Canon’s Java-based open development platform, allows developers and enterprises to customize applications to fit their architecture needs without installing extra hardware.

Konica Minolta was also listed as a Champion in the report.  Since Konica and Minolta merged in 2003 the company has developed affordable products with an emphasis on research and development.   8.5% of their operations were spent on R&D in 2010.  As a result they offer an impressive open platform technology which allows businesses to customize solutions to their enterprise environment.

Xerox, a long time market leader, is also included among the Champions in this report.  Xerox provides the most complete standard package in the market for the security conscience, but is noted to have one of the highest price tags.  Keep in mind, their offering includes security, scan and fax where competitors may require additional kits for these requirements adding hidden costs.

For the full list of Info-Tech Research Group’s recommendations for selecting a Multifunction Printer vendor, visit: http://www.infotech.com/research/ss/it-vendor-landscape-multifunction-printers

Info-Tech Research Group Vendor Landscape reports recognize outstanding vendors in the technology marketplace.  Assessing vendors by the strength of their offering and their strategy for the enterprise, Info-Tech Research Group Vendor Landscapes pay tribute to the contribution of exceptional vendors in a particular category. 

About Info-Tech Research Group

With a paid membership of over 8,000 organizations worldwide, Info-Tech Research Group (www.infotech.com) is the global leader in providing tactical, practical Information Technology research and analysis. Info-Tech Research Group has a thirteen-year history of delivering quality research and is North America's fastest growing full-service IT analyst firm. 

“The needs of businesses are changing and the focus is evolving from consolidation and cutting back on printing completely, to managed printing and the ability to print from any device, in any location and do it securely,” said Melanie Davy, Senior Analyst with Info-Tech Research Group. “Green printing practices are also becoming a major focus for this market.  Energy management and user access controls will easily become table stakes for enterprises in the next few years.”

According to the Vendor Landscape report, HP offers the most value for money in the MFP market and received the Overall Value Award.  HP impresses with their mobile offering and environmental stewardship and ranked as a Champion in the report.

Canon is another Champion in the market.  Their strong, feature rich product offering comes at a price, but their focus on innovation is unparalleled.  In 2010 Canon spent $3.9B on innovation which is the highest among the Champions in the report.  Their MFP solution’s compatibility with MEAP, Canon’s Java-based open development platform, allows developers and enterprises to customize applications to fit their architecture needs without installing extra hardware.

Konica Minolta was also listed as a Champion in the report.  Since Konica and Minolta merged in 2003 the company has developed affordable products with an emphasis on research and development.   8.5% of their operations were spent on R&D in 2010.  As a result they offer an impressive open platform technology which allows businesses to customize solutions to their enterprise environment.

Xerox, a long time market leader, is also included among the Champions in this report.  Xerox provides the most complete standard package in the market for the security conscience, but is noted to have one of the highest price tags.  Keep in mind, their offering includes security, scan and fax where competitors may require additional kits for these requirements adding hidden costs.

For the full list of Info-Tech Research Group’s recommendations for selecting a Multifunction Printer vendor, visit: http://www.infotech.com/research/ss/it-vendor-landscape-multifunction-printers

Info-Tech Research Group Vendor Landscape reports recognize outstanding vendors in the technology marketplace.  Assessing vendors by the strength of their offering and their strategy for the enterprise, Info-Tech Research Group Vendor Landscapes pay tribute to the contribution of exceptional vendors in a particular category. 

About Info-Tech Research Group

With a paid membership of over 8,000 organizations worldwide, Info-Tech Research Group (www.infotech.com) is the global leader in providing tactical, practical Information Technology research and analysis. Info-Tech Research Group has a thirteen-year history of delivering quality research and is North America's fastest growing full-service IT analyst firm. 

 


Media Contact

General Inquiry

Contact Info-Tech Public Relations
pr@infotech.com

US: 1-888-670-8889

Canada: 1-844-618-3192

International: +1-703-340-1171

About Info-Tech Research Group

Info-Tech Research Group is one of the world's leading research and advisory firms, proudly serving over 30,000 IT and HR professionals. The company produces unbiased, highly relevant research and provides advisory services to help leaders make strategic, timely, and well-informed decisions. For nearly 30 years, Info-Tech has partnered closely with teams to provide them with everything they need, from actionable tools to analyst guidance, ensuring they deliver measurable results for their organizations.

To learn more about Info-Tech's divisions, visit McLean & Company for HR research and advisory services and SoftwareReviews for software-buying insights.

Media professionals can register for unrestricted access to research across IT, HR, and software and hundreds of industry analysts through the firm's Media Insiders program. To gain access, contact pr@infotech.com.

For information about Info-Tech Research Group or to access the latest research, visit infotech.com and connect via LinkedIn and X.