HP, Epsion, and Lexmark attempted to use DRM to force people to purchase expensive printer cartridges, but retreated from the practice after backlash from customers and consumer rights groups and the Supreme Court case. The Supreme Court ruled that Lexmark had exhausted its patent to its printer cartridges, and that Impression Products was free to refill used ink cartridges and resell them. The use of third-party ink cartridges and the circumvention of printer DRM even became an important Supreme Court case in Impression Products v. The high ink prices created a robust third party market that the manufactures-HP in particular-attacked by using Digital Rights Management updates to brick printers using off brand printer cartridges. As printers became cheaper and more reliable, manufacturers began charging ludicrous prices for ink because they were no longer making much money on the printers themselves. They’re unreliable and the ink is expensive.
Printers have always been the worst piece of computer equipment.
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