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Even though scanners grew by 9% in terms of unit shipments, thus reversing the declining trend of the previous year, revenues still dropped by 2%, thanks to a drop in the average selling value, according to IDC India. However, vendors like HP rolled out new models of scanners even as the market continued to debate on their usability.

In FY 07, HP launched a new range of document scanners including HP Scanjet 7800, the 8350 and the 8390. These were equipped with two scan heads that allow both sides of a document to be scanned in a single pass. The vendor also introduced the worlds first 6-color photo scannersHP Scanjet G4050 and the G4010featuring worlds first 6-color/96-bit scanning technology. Both the scanners are targeted at the home users and the graphic designer segment allowing them to preserve documents and photos along with the negatives.

Canon, the other prominent vendor in the scanner space, too boosted its specialized scanner segment with the launch of 90ppm scanners in color. The scanners, bundled with software such as Adobe B7, are primarily targeted at the government and corporate segments. Kodak also launched the Kodak i860 scannerapt for paper-intensive environments like service bureaus, insurance companies and government departments that process claims centrally. These models are useful high volume job requirements as is the case for financial institutions that handle volume transactions such as loan and mortgage applications as well as jobs involving a wide variety of document types, colors, weights and demanding duty cycles.

Even as the market players predict the possibility of cannibalization of the scanner market, the shipment volumes in FY 07 tell a different story. According to IDC India, the scanner market shipments stood at 171,973 units valued at Rs 103 crore thus showing an increase of over 8% in unit terms.

Scanners vs MFDs
Though some vendors kept dismissing the possibility of cannibalization of scanners in the foreseeable future, the impact of MFDs, as well as other output devices, was increasingly being felt. This year is no exception either. Inkjet printers have been posting flat growth for the last two years, and in FY 07 experienced a declined in unit shipments. With scanner/printer/fax capabilities, all built into one machine, the MFD simply ends up saving time and space. It would thus be a difficult task for vendors to be able to sell stand-alone single-function devices in the future.

Stuti Das
stutid@cybermedia.co.in

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