Canon: Difference between revisions

'''{{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>

{{Main|Canon Ink DRM}}

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" />

{{Main|Canon printers disable scanning when ink is low}}

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" />

{{Main|Requirement for Canon EOS Webcam Utility subscription to enable webcam features on cameras}}

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>

{{Main|Canon Camera Connect}}

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" />

{{Main|Canon legacy scanner driver abandonment}}

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>

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<!-- 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