Photography company Eastman Kodak Co. is expected to introduce consumer inkjet printers next year and could challenge entrenched makers such as Lexmark International Inc. and Hewlett-Packard Co., industry analysts said on Tuesday.
Kodak executives have offered few details about inkjet printers since it mentioned the devices when it announced in September 2003 dramatic plans to shift its focus to digital photography and imaging services and away from traditional cameras and film.
Photo-quality consumer inkjet printers will be announced in mid-2006 by Kodak, which believes its technology is superior to that in current models, Cross Research analyst Shannon Cross said following a briefing with the Rochester, New York, company.
Kodak spokesman Dave Lanzillo reiterated that inkjet printers are part of its growth plan, but declined to comment on the likelihood of a 2006 product launch.
The stakes are high in the multibillion-dollar inkjet market, where companies sell printers for little or no profit and then distribute highly-profitable ink cartridges that consumers frequently replace during the life of the printer.
Source: eWeek
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