Prepare yourself for a slice of good news as a result of the global chip shortage, because we’re keen to find any we can get.
Today, Canon has clarified that it has had to make the difficult decision to sell ink cartridges without copy protection chips. For the uninitiated, copy protection chips are an industry standard which enable a firm to regulate whether authentic components are being used as part of a system; for example, brands such as Canon and HP rely on such chips to ensure customers (for better or worse) buy and use legitimate brand cartridges.
As a result of the chip shortage, Canon has been unable to produce enough cartridges with copy protection chips in tow – meaning that in many instances customers are now purchasing authentic Canon cartridges which their printer will not recognise as legitimate.
In a statement to Engadget, the company clarified that “while the global shortage of semiconductor components continues to affect many industries, it’s our priority to limit possible disruption to our customers. As with all manufacturers, we continually monitor our supply chain to anticipate and prepare for any potential disruption and we are taking steps to deal with the situation, such as adjusting product designs. One example of this is in toner cartridges for some of our MFP devices (imageRUNNER/imageRUNNER ADVANCE) as we are currently facing a shortage of the chip that is fitted inside the toner cartridge to monitor its remaining toner levels. There is no shortage of toner cartridge itself – a shortage of the chip that lies inside the toner cartridge.“
The company continued to note that “…as such, we’re now shipping toner cartridges for some of our MFP devices without this chip to ensure we’re still providing a continuous supply of consumables to our Canon U.S.A. customers. We have also issued guidance on how to install and manage these new toner cartridges.“
The advent marks perhaps an interesting occasion within the realm of digital rights management – it remains to be seen how the brand will continue to enforce its copy protections without the presence of the once ubiquitous chip.
