Hardcopy Industry Transformation

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Meet the Experts

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Geoffrey Wilbur

Research Manager, Imaging, Printing and Document Solutions

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Tim Greene

Research Director, Hardcopy Solutions



IDC's Hardcopy Industry Transformation provides strategic market guidance and insights for vendors responsible for driving innovation in their scan and print offerings and infrastructure solutions. This program is designed to examine new opportunities in output as it relates to transformative technologies including, but not limited to, cloud, mobility, security, artificial intelligence (AI), and analytics. It also examines the ongoing paper-to-digital transformation with the increased use of scanning and workflow technologies. The scan and print markets will see significant changes to their practices and business models over the next few years as more organizations focus on the digital transformation of internal and external communications and the impact of an increasingly hybrid workforce. This program is a requirement for print, scan, and print/document solutions software vendors that are seeking to expand their potential beyond traditional document solutions revenue streams.


Markets and Subjects Analyzed


  • Cloud, mobility, security, and data analytics impact on traditional print and evolving document-intensive business processes
  • End-user attitudes/adoption of print software, cloud, mobility, AI, and data analytics in document environments
  • Transformation strategies
  • Business communication technologies that complement print
  • Print infrastructure and IoT
  • Scan, workflow, and paper-to-digital technologies and services
  • Device management, print management, and output management market analysis

Core Research


  • Mobile Technologies' (Smartphones and Tablets) Impact on Document-Intensive Business Processes
  • Competitive Analysis of Vendors' Transformational Acquisitions
  • Adoption/Growth of Print Security
  • The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Print Management and Document Solutions
  • Cloud's Increasing Role in Document-Intensive Business Processes
  • The Drivers and Technology Behind the Growing Digital Fax Market
  • Scanner Market Sizing and Forecasts
  • Document Solutions (Device, Print, and Output Management) Market Sizing and Forecasts
  • Business Workflow Automation and Optimization Forecast

In addition to the insight provided in this service, IDC may conduct research on specific topics or emerging market segments via research offerings that require additional IDC funding and client investment.


Key Questions Answered


  1. How do printing equipment manufacturers and document solution providers reinvent themselves as part of the market's transition to emerging alternatives to traditional print?
  2. What opportunities are cloud, mobility, security, AI, and data analytics opening up for document solution providers?
  3. What tactics and strategies are vendors implementing to transform their businesses? Which companies are on the right path?
  4. How quickly is the market transitioning from paper to digital? How is scanning being utilized?
  5. How are complementary/adjacent business communications technologies being implemented into vendors' "traditional" product portfolios?
  6. How should document solutions software companies evolve their software suites to remain competitive?

Companies Covered