Printers seem to be the one invention that has been unable to keep up with the ease and convenience of the 21st century. Despite all of these advancements with computers, smartphones, and now even AI, printers still regularly have trouble connecting to the wifi, experience paper jams, and have ridiculously priced ink. But, it wasn’t always like this. In fact, for the longest time, printers were at the forefront of technology, and Xerox, a printer/photocopying company, was one of the largest tech companies in the world. But, all of this changed when printers started entering residential areas. Printer manufacturers quickly realized that people weren’t willing to pay computer-level prices for printers.
Most people felt that printers weren’t worth as much as a computer, but the reality was that it cost as much if not more to build. Printer companies eventually decided to start selling printers for a loss and this has been taken to the extreme over the past few decades. All of the profit is made on the ink and that’s why ink is so expensive. As these printers fell lower and lower in price, it’s no wonder why they became crappier and crappier. This video explains the rise and fall of the printer industry and how printers went from being at the forefront of the tech industry to being it’s worst aspect.
