PREVIEW 2025
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may well be used to improve device efficiency further, such as suggesting optimal power modes for the streamlining of energy use. Also, it can predict printer maintenance needs, minimising downtime and avoiding costly repairs. AI could be used to dynamically decide the best print output – black-and-white or low-resolution, for example – based on document content, saving costs and resources for the business. Additionally, AI will be able to enhance scanning quality and even summarise scanned documents for smarter ways of working. Sustainability in print is also on the rise. In recent years, sustainability and environmental issues have become top priorities for companies. This trend is heavily influencing customer decisions but at the same time being shaped by wider regulatory requirements. We see manufacturers increasingly adopting the use of recycled plastics within the build phase, with some devices now containing up to 50% recycled content. We are also seeing a large reduction in packaging waste. These are physical signs of the print industry moving to smarter production methods but there is much more that can be done. Despite economic challenges, businesses must invest in green initiatives now to ensure a viable future. The print industry in Europe is seeing new sustainability regulations introduced, either as draft proposals to give manufacturers time to prepare, or as laws taking effect. Cloud continues to be a trend that SMEs will adopt. As a result, businesses are no longer self-contained units, they are connected to a wider IT infrastructure, often owned and managed by third parties. However, we believe that as businesses increasingly move to the cloud, the print industry must follow suit, ensuring devices and workflows integrate seamlessly and securely into this environment. As print devices now function as part of a larger IT ecosystem, it is imperative
that they offer compatibility with broader platform services, whether Microsoft Azure, Google Workspace or Amazon Web Services. Print management software is the best way to ensure that devices connect and work with such platforms, but it is not a necessity in all cases. What is vital with any form of cloud connectivity is for the end-user to understand security and the challenges around it. As print devices increasingly become digital hubs within a business, cloud connectivity brings added security challenges. To address this, many device manufacturers are adopting zero trust architecture (ZTA), where user authentication via identity providers ensures a secure environment. ZTA is a cybersecurity model based on the principle of ‘never trust, always verify’ and requires continuous authentication, authorisation and strict access controls for all users, devices and applications, regardless of their location. As mentioned, printers are evolving from simple devices into secure IoT solutions in their own rights, requiring encryption and compliance with standards such as NIS 2.0 and Radio Equipment Directive (RED). Printer security has moved from a peripheral concern to a fundamental 'secure by design' principle in modern device development. The NIS2 Directive is set to change how companies across Europe engage and react to cybersecurity within their organisations. The directive makes it essential for companies to optimise their cyber resilience, including the ability to prevent, withstand and recover from cyber incidents. The RED ensures that connected devices sold in the EU meet essential health, safety and environmental requirements, and is compatible with the EU's radio spectrum policy. Modern printers are computers with data transmitted to and from the cloud, whether for printing or storage, which exposes devices to CONTINUED
Jason Cort
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