- Users have reported a degraded print quality with third -party ink
- Firmware updates are blamed, but brother denies all the allegations
- HP had previously admitted to updates that affected third ink performance
The manufacturer of printers Brother refused the locking of users to its own ink cartridges via so -called firmware updates.
The news intervened after the technician in electronics and the militant of the right to repair Louis Rossmann accused the company of updating his printer firmware to block non -OEM toner or degrade performance.
Other internet publications, including Reddit Threads, have confirmed similar problems of other users, who noticed a drop in printing quality when using a third -party toner.
Brother denies block third ink
In addition, the return to the older firmware versions has proven to be difficult or impossible, which means that printers who operated before as normal could now be considered “broken”.
The company said (via Ars Technica): “We are aware of the recent false allegations suggesting that an update of the brother firmware may have limited the use of third ink cartridges. Rest assured that updates to the brotherly firmware do not block the use of third ink in our machines. »»
Brother argued that variations in the quality of third -party toners could be responsible for printing quality problems: “Brother printers do not intentionally degrade print quality depending on the use of an authentic or non -genetic ink / toner brother. The brother cannot check the quality of the impression that will result in the use of a third party compatible with a brother printer. »»
HP has faced proceedings and legal regulations on similar issues, the ENRIQUE CEO justifying the blocking of third -party ink by citing improved security. At the end of 2023, the financial director Marie Myers also noted that Ink Ink subscribers are 20% more profitable for the company.
“It is a standard practice that we make a brother [G]Check in enuine during the troubleshooting of a brother printer … We believe that this control in the process can have led to a misunderstanding[,] But as we have confirmed, the firmware update would not be responsible for the degradation of the quality or the deletion of the printer features, “added Brother.
