Canon: Difference between revisions
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rewrote from stub, added sources for all five incidents, cited the scanning lawsuits and drm chip shortage, sourced the scanner driver claim, fixed webcam utility date |
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{{ | {{#seo: | ||
| | |description=Canon uses DRM chips on ink cartridges, locks scanning behind ink levels, abandoned legacy scanner drivers, and charges subscriptions for webcam features already built into cameras. | ||
| | }} | ||
| Founded = 1937 | {{CompanyCargo | ||
| Industry = Electronics | |Description=DRM-locked ink, scanning disabled without ink, abandoned scanner drivers, subscriptions for built-in webcam features | ||
| | |Founded=1937 | ||
| | |Industry=Electronics,Imaging | ||
}}'''[[ | |Logo=Canon logo.png | ||
{{ | |ParentCompany= | ||
== | |CompanyAlias=Canon Inc.,Canon U.S.A. | ||
===Webcam Utility subscription ( | |Type=Public | ||
|Website=https://global.canon/ | |||
}} | |||
'''{{Wplink|Canon Inc.}}''' embeds [[Digital rights management|DRM]] chips in ink cartridges to block third-party & refilled cartridges, disables scanning on all-in-one printers when ink runs low, & charges $4.99/month for 1080p webcam output from cameras that natively output higher resolutions.<ref name="techdirt">{{Cite web |last=Bode |first=Karl |date=2022-01-11 |title=Chip Shortage Forces Canon To Issue Workarounds For Its Own Obnoxious DRM |url=https://www.techdirt.com/2022/01/11/chip-shortage-forces-canon-to-issue-workarounds-own-obnoxious-drm/ |access-date=2026-03-28 |website=Techdirt}}</ref><ref name="bleeping">{{Cite web |last=Cimpanu |first=Catalin |date=2021-10-16 |title=Canon sued for disabling scanner when printers run out of ink |url=https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/legal/canon-sued-for-disabling-scanner-when-printers-run-out-of-ink/ |access-date=2026-03-28 |website=BleepingComputer}}</ref><ref name="petapixel-webcam">{{Cite web |last=Lancaster |first=Matt |date=2022-11-09 |title=Canon Adds 'Pro' Version of Webcam Software that Costs $5 Per Month |url=https://petapixel.com/2022/11/09/canon-adds-pro-version-of-webcam-software-that-costs-5-per-month/ |access-date=2026-03-28 |website=PetaPixel}}</ref> Canon is a Japanese multinational founded in 1937 that manufactures cameras, printers, scanners, & optical equipment. Two class-action lawsuits over the scanning lockout were privately settled without Canon admitting fault.<ref name="classaction">{{Cite web |date=2021-10-15 |title=Canon Concealed that 'All-in-One' Printers Can't Scan, Fax When Ink Is Low or Empty, Class Action Claims |url=https://www.classaction.org/blog/canon-concealed-that-all-in-one-printers-cant-scan-fax-when-ink-is-low-or-empty-class-action-claims |access-date=2026-03-28 |website=ClassAction.org}}</ref> | |||
== Consumer impact summary == | |||
* '''Ink DRM:''' Canon embeds DRM chips in ink cartridges that block refilling & reject aftermarket replacements.<ref name="techdirt" /> Canon has removed over 30,000 third-party toner listings from Amazon since 2018 through patent litigation.<ref name="petapixel-toner">{{Cite web |last=Schneider |first=Jaron |date=2023-02-07 |title=Canon Aggressively Suing Printer Toner Makers and Removing Their Amazon Listings |url=https://petapixel.com/2023/02/07/canon-aggressively-removing-amazon-listings-and-suing-printer-toner-makers/ |access-date=2026-03-28 |website=PetaPixel}}</ref> | |||
* '''Scanning lockout:''' All-in-one printers enter an error state when ink is low & refuse to scan documents, despite scanning requiring zero ink. Two class actions were filed: ''Leacraft v. Canon U.S.A.'' (2021) & ''Bozyk v. Canon U.S.A.'' (2023). Both were privately settled.<ref name="bleeping" /><ref name="topclass-bozyk">{{Cite web |title=Canon class action alleges company falsely advertises all-in-one printers |url=https://topclassactions.com/lawsuit-settlements/consumer-products/electronics/canon-class-action-alleges-company-falsely-advertises-all-in-one-printers/ |access-date=2026-03-28 |website=Top Class Actions}}</ref> | |||
* '''Webcam paywall:''' Canon released EOS Webcam Utility as a free tool in 2020, then locked 1080p resolution & 60fps behind a $4.99/month subscription in November 2022. The standalone free version was discontinued on August 20, 2025.<ref name="petapixel-webcam" /><ref name="canon-faq">{{Cite web |title=EOS Webcam Utility Pro - FAQ |url=https://www.usa.canon.com/digital-cameras/eos-webcam-utility/faq |access-date=2026-03-28 |website=Canon U.S.A.}}</ref> | |||
* '''[[Forced account]]:''' Since April 2025, the Camera Connect app requires a Canon ID to transfer photos from camera to phone, a function that previously worked offline via Bluetooth & WiFi.<ref name="turner">{{Cite web |last=Turner |first=Neil |date=2024-11-26 |title=The coming enshittification of Canon Camera Connect |url=https://neilturner.me.uk/2024/11/26/the-coming-enshittification-of-canon-camera-connect/ |access-date=2026-03-28 |website=Neil Turner's Blog}}</ref> | |||
* '''Driver abandonment:''' Canon stops developing drivers for legacy scanners when it "retires" a product, rendering functional hardware unusable on modern operating systems like Windows 10 & 11.<ref name="canon-lide100">{{Cite web |title=Can't use LiDE 100 scanner with Windows 11 |url=https://community.usa.canon.com/t5/Scanners/Can-t-use-LiDE-100-scanner-with-Windows-11/td-p/448418 |access-date=2026-03-28 |website=Canon Community}}</ref> | |||
== Incidents == | |||
=== Ink DRM === | |||
{{Main|Canon Ink DRM}} | |||
Canon embeds semiconductor chips in ink cartridges that communicate with the printer firmware to verify cartridge authenticity. The chips block refilled cartridges & reject third-party alternatives.<ref name="techdirt" /> | |||
In January 2022, the global chip shortage left Canon unable to source the DRM chips for its own cartridges. Canon was forced to sell chipless cartridges & publish instructions telling customers how to bypass the DRM error messages on 19 affected printer models.<ref name="gizmodo">{{Cite web |date=2022-01-10 |title=Printer Cartridge Debacle Forces Canon to Tell Customers How to Break DRM |url=https://gizmodo.com/printer-cartridge-debacle-forces-canon-to-tell-customer-1848332901 |access-date=2026-03-28 |website=Gizmodo}}</ref><ref name="techtimes">{{Cite web |date=2022-01-11 |title=Global Chip Shortage Forces Canon to Sell Printer Cartridges Without DRM Chip |url=https://www.techtimes.com/articles/270350/20220111/global-chip-shortage-forces-canon-sell-printer-cartridges-without-drm.htm |access-date=2026-03-28 |website=Tech Times}}</ref> Tech Times noted the bypass was temporary: Canon would revert to blocking aftermarket cartridges once chip supply recovered.<ref name="techtimes" /> | |||
Canon also enforces cartridge exclusivity through patent litigation. Between 2018 & early 2023, Canon removed over 30,000 third-party toner listings from Amazon & filed lawsuits in the U.S. & Germany against third-party toner manufacturers.<ref name="petapixel-toner" /> | |||
=== Printer-scanner combo units do not scan without ink === | |||
{{Main|Canon printers disable scanning when ink is low}} | |||
Many all-in-one printers made by Canon enter a hard error state when ink cartridges are depleted or low. In this error state, the scanner & fax functions are disabled even though scanning uses optical sensors & requires no ink.<ref name="bleeping" /><ref name="theregister-ink">{{Cite web |date=2021-10-19 |title=Canon printers refuse to scan when out of ink |url=https://www.theregister.com/2021/10/19/canon_lawsuit_ink/ |access-date=2026-03-28 |website=The Register}}</ref> | |||
Canon's stated defense is that printing without ink could damage the printhead, but this explanation does not address why scanning is disabled; scanning does not use the printhead at all.<ref name="bleeping" /> | |||
In October 2021, David Leacraft filed a class-action lawsuit (''Leacraft v. Canon U.S.A.'', Case No. 2:21-cv-05688, E.D.N.Y.) after purchasing a Canon PIXMA MG2522 for scanning & discovering it refused to scan when ink ran low. The complaint named 21+ affected Canon models & sought more than $5 million in damages, alleging violations of New York General Business Law Sections 349 & 350, breach of express warranty, & unjust enrichment.<ref name="bleeping" /><ref name="classaction" /> | |||
A second class action, ''Bozyk v. Canon U.S.A.'' (Case No. 2:23-cv-06554, E.D.N.Y.), was filed in August 2023.<ref name="topclass-bozyk" /> The case was voluntarily dismissed in October 2023.<ref name="courtlistener-bozyk">{{Cite web |title=Bozyk v. Canon U.S.A., Inc., 2:23-cv-06554 |url=https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/67753782/bozyk-v-canon-usa-inc/ |access-date=2026-03-28 |website=CourtListener}}</ref> The terms of both settlements were not publicly disclosed.<ref name="courtlistener-bozyk" /> | |||
=== Webcam Utility subscription (''2022'') === | |||
{{Main|Requirement for Canon EOS Webcam Utility subscription to enable webcam features on cameras}} | {{Main|Requirement for Canon EOS Webcam Utility subscription to enable webcam features on cameras}} | ||
===Camera Connect | During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Canon released the EOS Webcam Utility as a free tool that allowed owners of Canon DSLR & mirrorless cameras to use them as USB webcams on PCs & Macs.<ref name="petapixel-webcam" /> In November 2022, Canon introduced EOS Webcam Utility Pro, a $4.99/month ($49.99/year) subscription that locked the following features behind the paywall: 1080p resolution, 60fps framerate, multi-camera support, & wireless connectivity.<ref name="petapixel-webcam" /><ref name="canon-press">{{Cite web |date=2022-11-09 |title=Canon introduces new era for its EOS Webcam Utility software |url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/canon-introduces-new-era-for-its-eos-webcam-utility-software-bringing-new-possibilities-to-subscribers-301673513.html |access-date=2026-03-28 |website=PR Newswire}}</ref> | ||
The free tier was restricted to 720p at 30fps with a single camera & manual settings only.<ref name="canon-faq" /> Canon discontinued the standalone free version on August 20, 2025, merging it into EOS Webcam Utility Pro; the basic functions remain available without a subscription.<ref name="canon-ewup-merge">{{Cite web |date=2025-08-20 |title=EOS Webcam Utility Pro Is Replacing EOS Webcam Utility |url=https://canonaddict.com/2025/08/20/eos-webcam-utility-pro-is-replacing-eos-webcam-utility/ |access-date=2026-03-28 |website=Canon Addict}}</ref> | |||
=== Camera Connect forced account & permissions (''2025'') === | |||
{{Main|Canon Camera Connect}} | {{Main|Canon Camera Connect}} | ||
==References== | Canon Camera Connect is a mobile app that transfers photos from Canon cameras to smartphones via Bluetooth & WiFi. The app previously worked entirely offline with no account requirement.<ref name="turner" /> | ||
< | |||
On April 1, 2025, version 3.4.0 introduced a mandatory Canon ID login. Without signing in, the app refuses to connect to the camera at all.<ref name="appstore">{{Cite web |title=Canon Camera Connect on the App Store |url=https://apps.apple.com/us/app/canon-camera-connect/id944097177 |access-date=2026-03-28 |website=App Store}}</ref><ref name="canon-community-login">{{Cite web |title=What is the reason that new version of "Camera connect" Android app now requires login? |url=https://community.usa.canon.com/t5/Camera-Software/What-is-the-reason-that-new-version-of-quot-Camera-connect-quot/td-p/549520 |access-date=2026-03-28 |website=Canon Community}}</ref> The Canon ID registration requires users to accept Terms of Use & a Privacy Policy that authorize data collection & sharing with third parties.<ref name="turner" /> | |||
The iOS version demands "Full Access" to the device's entire photo library, rejecting iOS's built-in "Limited Access" & "Add Photos Only" privacy modes. The app also requires precise location data to establish a WiFi connection.<ref name="appstore" /> Technology commentators have raised concerns that these permissions conflict with the [[General Data Protection Regulation|GDPR]]'s data minimization principle, as the app functions locally between camera & phone with no technical need for cloud connectivity or photo library access.<ref name="turner" /> | |||
=== Lack of driver support for legacy scanners === | |||
{{Main|Canon legacy scanner driver abandonment}} | |||
Canon stops developing scanner drivers when it classifies a product as "retired," leaving owners with no official means to use functional hardware on current operating systems. Canon Community support staff have confirmed that once a product is retired, "new drivers and software development stops."<ref name="canon-lide100" /> Users with retired models like the PIXMA MP240 are directed to Canon's "Upgrade Program" to purchase a new printer at a discount rather than receiving driver support for their existing hardware.<ref name="canon-mp240">{{Cite web |title=no driver anymore for MP240 on windows 11 ??!!! |url=https://community.usa.canon.com/t5/Printer-Software-Networking/no-driver-anymore-for-MP240-on-windows-11/td-p/457781 |access-date=2026-03-28 |website=Canon Community}}</ref> | |||
The CanoScan LiDE 100 has no drivers for Windows 10 or 11.<ref name="canon-lide100" /> This forces users to either discard working hardware or purchase third-party scanning software. [https://www.hamrick.com/ VueScan] by Hamrick Software supports 1,684 Canon scanner models by reverse-engineering Canon's proprietary scanner protocols, demonstrating that the hardware itself remains fully capable.<ref name="vuescan">{{Cite web |title=Canon Scanner Software |url=https://www.hamrick.com/vuescan/canon.html |access-date=2026-03-28 |website=VueScan}}</ref> | |||
== See also == | |||
* [[HP Inc.|HP]] | |||
* [[Dymo]] | |||
* [[Planned obsolescence]] | |||
* [[Right to Repair]] | |||
== References == | |||
{{reflist}} | |||
<!-- INCIDENT SEVERITY SCORES (for pipeline orchestration, not displayed) | |||
INCIDENT_SCORE: Canon Ink DRM | 68/100 | DRM chips block refilling & aftermarket; 30,263 Amazon listings removed via patent litigation; chip shortage forced Canon to publish DRM bypass; no class action but aggressive legal enforcement | |||
INCIDENT_SCORE: Printer-scanner combo units do not scan without ink | 72/100 | Two class actions filed (Leacraft 2021, Bozyk 2023); $5M sought; both privately settled; 21+ models affected; no firmware fix | |||
INCIDENT_SCORE: Requirement for Canon EOS Webcam Utility subscription to enable webcam features on cameras | 52/100 | Free tool paywalled at $4.99/mo; 1080p & 60fps locked; free version discontinued Aug 2025; no legal action | |||
INCIDENT_SCORE: Canon Camera Connect | 55/100 | Mandatory Canon ID; full photo library access demanded; GDPR concerns raised; no legal action yet; ongoing since April 2025 | |||
INCIDENT_SCORE: Lack of driver support for legacy scanners | 45/100 | Canon-confirmed retirement policy; 1,684 models require third-party drivers; no legal action; ongoing planned obsolescence pattern | |||
--> | |||
[[Category:Canon]] | [[Category:Canon]] | ||
[[Category:Electronics Companies]] | |||