HP again hits hard at using third-party supplies
HP has had a number of problems for several years now, and is once again facing customer frustration. And with good reason: the company continues to use firmware updates to discourage, or as users report, completely block the use of non-HP ink cartridges. Despite the outrage, HP continues to release these updates.
As we all know, HP printers are designed to work with Original HP ink and toner cartridges. As is standard practice in the printing industry, HP printers use a cartridge authentication process.
On some HP printers, this authentication process includes dynamic security measures. Dynamic security relies on the printer's ability to communicate with security chips or electronic cartridges and uses dynamic security measures to protect the quality of your customers' experience, maintain the integrity of your printing systems, and safeguard your intellectual property.
Printers with dynamic security features are designed to work only with cartridges that contain new or reused HP electronic chips or circuitry. Printers use dynamic security measures to lock cartridges that use non-HP chips or non-HP or modified electronic circuitry. Reused, reconditioned, and refilled cartridges that reuse the HP chip or electronic circuitry are not affected by dynamic security.
Dynamic security is a feature used by HP printers to authenticate ink cartridges and prevent the use of cartridges not approved by HP.
As the company explains:
Dynamic security is based on the printer's ability to communicate with security chips or electronic cartridges. HP uses proactive security measures to protect the quality of its customers' experience, maintain the integrity of its printing systems, and protect its intellectual property.
Printers with dynamic security features are designed to work only with cartridges that contain new or reused HP electronic chips or circuitry. Printers use dynamic security measures to lock cartridges that use non-HP chips or non-HP or modified electronic circuitry. Reused, reconditioned, and refilled cartridges that reuse the HP chip or electronic circuitry are not affected by dynamic security.
HP community threads include complaints about the OfficeJet 7740 and OfficeJet Pro 6970. HP claims that these two printers, as well as others, are capable of bypassing dynamic security under specific conditions. However, HP's support page indicates that this only applies to models manufactured before December 1, 2016.
In 2016, HP implemented a security chip related update on OfficeJet, OfficeJet Pro, and OfficeJet Pro devices (see listings) to maintain secure cartridge-hardware communications. This meant that the devices would not work unless the supplies had a genuine HP security chip.
In 2022, HP reached a $1,3 million settlement in litigation brought on behalf of European consumers. Users of some of its printer models were upset because a secret firmware update that introduced a dynamic security feature prevented them from using third-party supplies with a variety of HP printers.
According to comments on HP's support community forums, the HP OfficeJet 6978 and 6968 were recently affected. Both printers are no longer sold, but HP's product pages make it clear that the volatile nature of dynamic security means that third-party ink may stop working at any time.
Although HP has covered up a bit by saying that an HP printer with dynamic security can start blocking non-HP ink at any time and without warning, this does not make for a favorable customer experience, as numerous examples illustrate. HP support threads and social media posts.
The ink is designed to be used only with cartridges that have an original HP chip. Cartridges using a non-HP chip may not work, and those that work today may not work in the future,” reads the product page for model 6968. The product page for 6978 also states that the printer is designed for cartridges with a “new or refurbished HP chip.”
HP indicates that firmware updates delivered periodically over the Internet will maintain the effectiveness of proactive security measures, but such updates may also prevent cartridges that use a modified non-HP chip or circuit from working in the printer, including cartridges that work today.
And what do you think about it? Do you think the measures HP is taking are "good"?
Personally, I think that HP should stop doing this and look for new strategies that help avoid so much waste in cartridges and more today that it is necessary for many companies of this type and technologies to start with a change to green technology.