*NEWS*CANON TARGETS HOME PHOTO PRINTING/2004-10-03

[Anonymous]

Canon Aggressively Targets Home Photo and SOHO Printing Markets with Launch of 11 New Inkjet and Laser Products 



LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y.–Building On an over 60-year heritage as a leader in imaging technologies, Canon U.S.A., Inc. today introduced a full range of new consumer single function and photo all-in-one (AIOs) inkjet printers and networked laser multifunction printers (MFPs) for the small office/home office (SOHO) markets. A total of 11 products will launch under the PIXMA and imageCLASS brands, ranging in price from $99.99 to $999.99(i).

Canon is a leading U.S. patent holder of printer technology and the world's largest manufacturer of laser beam printer engines. In addressing the emerging consumer photo printing market and migration from single function to multi-function platforms for the small and home office, today's announcements mark an aggressive move by the global imaging technology provider to lead these markets from an innovation, value, performance, design, and ease-of-use perspective.

"Canon PIXMA and imageCLASS products offer significant advantages in all of the key areas where customers perceive value the most – from outstanding photo and text print quality, speed, sleek design and ease-of-use form factor, to feature/price point ratio," said Kinya Uchida, president and chief executive officer of Canon U.S.A., Inc. "Whether it be a family printing photos at home, a consultant who needs to print, scan, and fax from a home office, or a small office workgroup needing networked laser multifunction capability on a business volume platform, Canon today brings to market the most comprehensive lineup of products to meet each unique and individual need."

Canon PIXMA – Fully Addressing the Growing Photo Printer and All-in-One Market

International Data Corporation (IDC), a leading global market intelligence and advisory firm, estimates that by the end of 2007 more than 6.5 billion photos will be printed in American homes(1). As one of the world's leading camera manufacturers and innovators, Canon has been a major force in popularizing digital photography in both consumer and professional circles.

The mainstreaming of digital cameras is also driving demand for photo-centric home printers and hybrid all-in-one printers using inkjet technology to reproduce high quality photos and documents. To support this burgeoning market, Canon introduced the new global PIXMA brand in July. PIXMA represents state-of-the-art quality, speed, and value in home photo printer and photo all-in-one devices – the culmination of Canon's 60-plus year history and enterprising spirit as a leading imaging technology provider.

Following the initial introduction of the entry level PIXMA iP1500, iP2000, iP3000, and iP4000 single function photo printers, today Canon introduces the PIXMA iP4000R, iP5000, iP6000D, and iP8500 single function photo printers, and PIXMA MP130, MP750, and MP780 Photo All-in-One Printers, with basic specifications as follows(ii):

PIXMA iP4000R Photo Printer – a five color, 4800 x 1200 dpi, photo printer with dual paper feed and two-sided printing capability. The iP4000R features wireless printing via 802.11g and prints at speeds up to 25 pages-per-minute (ppm) in black-and-white (b&w) and up to 17 ppm in color, with 4 x 6 inch photos printed in as little as 36 seconds(iii). Estimated selling price: $229.99(i). Availability: September.

PIXMA iP5000 Photo Printer- a five color, 9600 x 2400 dpi photo printer with microscopic one picoliter droplet sizes for super high quality and detail made possible through a 1,856 nozzle print head. The iP5000 printer also features two-sided printing, a dual paper path and up to 25 ppm b&w and up to 17 ppm color(iii) print speeds. Estimated selling price: $199.99(i). Availability: September.

PIXMA iP6000D Photo Printer- a six color, 4800 x 1200 dpi photo printer with dual paper feed and two-sided printing capability. The iP6000D features a large 2.5 inch LCD control panel screen for viewing, editing and printing directly from digital camera memory cards. Estimated selling price: $179.99(i). Availability: September.

PIXMA iP8500 Photo Printer – a ChromaPLUS(TM) eight color, 4800 x 2400 dpi photo printer with a 6,144 nozzle print head for exceptional speed and quality. The iP8500 printer can produce a 4 x 6 inch photograph in approximately 23 seconds(iii) and features both a dual paper path and two sided printing. Estimated selling price: $349.99(i). Availability: October.

PIXMA MP130 Photo All-in-One – a print/copy/scan device that operates at speeds up to 18 ppm in b&w and up to 13 ppm in color(iii). A built-in card reader allows direct printing from select memory cards, while a USB 2.0 interface allows quick, high quality scanning capability. Suggested retail price: $99.99(i). Availability: November.

PIXMA MP750 Photo All-in-One – a print/copy/scan device with a 35-page automatic document feeder, dual paper path and two sided printing. Using a five-color ink system, the MP750 unit has a maximum color resolution of 4800 x 1200 dpi, and prints at speeds up to 25 ppm in b&w and up to 17 ppm in color(iii). Estimated selling price: $249.99(i). Availability: October.

PIXMA MP780 Photo All-in-One – a print/copy/fax/scan device with a 35-page automatic document feeder and Super G3(v) facsimile transmitting documents in color or b&w. The unit also features a dual paper path and two sided printing and prints at speeds up to 25 ppm in b&w and up to 17 ppm in color(iii). Estimated selling price: $299.99(i). Availability: October.

In an August 2004 report on the new PIXMA brand, InfoTrends/CAP Ventures states, "With its new PIXMA line, Canon is making a very clear statement about its intention to achieve great success in the consumer market." Noting the consumer printer space is competitive, the report notes, "Nevertheless, the company is wisely building its strengths with the Canon brand and the inkjet and processing technologies that it commands."(2)

Canon imageCLASS MFPs – A Legacy of Innovation Delivered to Small Business Users

Canon has held the number one U.S. market share position in color and black-and-white copier-based multifunction solutions for 21 of the past 22 years, with particular dominance in the black-and-white category, where it has owned the number one spot in every speed segment for the past two years(3). From this tremendous success in the corporate office and production print space, Canon follows with the introduction of a new line of imageCLASS laser printer-based multi-function devices that aggressively target the small/home office (SOHO) market.

With advanced features in part derived from Canon's upmarket imageRUNNER Series, the new imageCLASS models, including the new D860, D880 and MF 3110 and MF 8170C, have basic specifications as follows:

imageCLASS D860/D880 – a desktop monochrome digital copier-based MFP (print/copy/fax) with up to 18 cpm copy speed(iv). The D880 model incorporates the added feature of a Super G3(v) facsimile function for high-speed document transmission. Estimated street price: D860 – $599, D880 – $699(i). Availability: September.

imageCLASS MF3110 – a desktop 21 ppm(iv) laser printer-based MFP (print/copy/color scan) at the single-function monochrome laser printer estimated street price of $249(i). Availability: September.

Color imageCLASS MF8170c – the first sub-$1000 SOHO color laser printer-based MFP (print/copy/fax/scan) with up to 16 ppm b&w and 4 ppm color copy speeds(iv). With built-in network capability and a USB 2.0 interface, the Color imageCLASS MF8170c also offers a 50-sheet auto document feeder, Super G3(v) facsimile, and 250-sheet paper cassette and 125-sheet multi-purpose tray. Estimated street price: $999(i). Availability: September.

According to Jake Wang, senior analyst at Current Analysis, "Canon has been a leading innovator in the monochrome and color workgroup MFP segments for years. With the new Color imageCLASS MF8170C, priced under $1,000, rounding out its family of laser products, Canon is aggressively bringing color laser technology previously only seen in devices priced more than $10,000 into the hands of small business users."

"Today marks a major move for Canon in applying our technological prowess 'full strength ahead' to a consumer and SOHO market calling for greater value and better choices," continued Mr. Uchida, concluding "Our PIXMA and imageCLASS brands will redefine the categories they respectively compete in, clearly distinguishing Canon in areas where differences in feature sets, price, design, and performance have been difficult to discern among brands. We intend to successfully deliver to a market eager for this change."

* Post was edited: 2004-10-03 10:33:00

[Author]

June 23, 2013 at 9:47 PM