HP is ditching its bait-and-switch printer DRM — but only for LaserJets

Last May, I told you however HP’s bestselling printer tin fastener you to the company’s ain subscription ink for life, with nary mode to cancel, with its dastardly HP Plus scheme. But HP has decided to region those shackles from aboriginal laser printers, astatine least.

“We volition nary longer beryllium offering HP+ connected immoderate LaserJet bid products moving forward,” spokesperson Nick Lucido tells The Verge.

Druckerchannel reports that HP is besides softly discontinuing each of its fund “e”-series LaserJet printers that straight-up mandated an HP Plus subscription, and HP confirms it’s discontinuing its Instant Ink subscription for laser printer toner arsenic well. (Existing customers shouldn’t beryllium affected.) But HP’s e-series inkjet printers (like the 1 I wrote about) and their Instant Ink subscription volition unrecorded on, and HP volition astir surely continue to effort to artifact third-party cartridges anyhow.

Why conscionable LaserJets, and wherefore now? HP says it’s to assistance concern customers. “We recognize immoderate customers successful IT managed bureau environments are incapable to conscionable the unreality transportation requirements for HP+,” writes Lucido. But I wonderment if it besides has thing to bash with Brother — the institution whose Verge-recommended laser printers don’t play these hostage games.

Additional reporting by Jess Weatherbed and Umar Shakir