HP is ditching its bait-and-switch printer DRM — but only for LaserJets

Last May, I told you how HP’s bestselling printer can lock you to the company’s own subscription ink for life, with no way to cancel, with its dastardly HP Plus scheme. But HP has decided to remove those shackles from future laser printers, at least.

“We will no longer be offering HP+ on any LaserJet series products moving forward,” spokesperson Nick Lucido tells The Verge.

Druckerchannel reports that HP is also quietly discontinuing all of its budget “e”-series LaserJet printers that straight-up mandated an HP Plus subscription, and HP confirms it’s discontinuing its Instant Ink subscription for laser printer toner as well. (Existing customers shouldn’t be affected.) But HP’s e-series inkjet printers (like the one I wrote about) and their Instant Ink subscription will live on, and HP will almost certainly continue to try to block third-party cartridges anyhow.

Why just LaserJets, and why now? HP says it’s to help business customers. “We understand some customers in IT managed office environments are unable to meet the cloud connection requirements for HP+,” writes Lucido. But I wonder if it also has something to do with Brother — the company whose Verge-recommended laser printers don’t play these hostage games.

Additional reporting by Jess Weatherbed and Umar Shakir