As 2025 wraps up, we’re reflecting on the steady evolution of priorities that shaped print technology this year. Two themes emerged as central: printing should just work and it should support broader sustainability goals.
We brought together Mopria Alliance members, the engineers and product leaders building printers, scanners, and software, to discuss what they observed, what technical challenges they tackled, and where they see things heading next.
Simplicity: Making Printing Invisible (In a Good Way)
Universal Standards Continue Gaining Ground
Technologies like Universal Print from Mopria Alliance member Microsoft and Mopria certification have been available for years, but in 2025, we saw these approaches move further into mainstream adoption. These solutions enable users to streamline printing and management, eliminating the need for on-premises print servers or printer drivers on devices.
What changed wasn’t the technology itself; it was the growing expectation that printing should work this way as standard, not as an advanced feature. The field technician printing from a tablet, the substitute teacher using any classroom printer, the new employee printing on day one—these moments reflect friction points eliminated through thoughtful engineering and open standards.
“Universal Standards means working out of the box for our end users. We’ve become used to the idea of Mopria Certified printers being compatible with Android and Windows devices, but now this ease of use for end-users is translating into ease of use for IT departments and print administrators, too. The prior need to install proprietary drivers, including the extra work, complexity, and security risks inherent in enabling all users to do this for themselves, is gone thanks to the inclusion of native support in Windows and Android. In its place is a simple process, as easy as clicking a button marked ‘add a printer’. We’re pleased to see these changes benefiting everyone from the largest enterprises to the smallest startups, making it quick and easy for everyone.”
-Mike Scrutton, Director of Print Technology & Strategy at Adobe
Cloud Integration & Smarter Devices
Cloud connectivity continued its shift from optional to expected in 2025, with integration into platforms like Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 enabling secure printing from anywhere. AI capabilities expanded, predicting maintenance needs, optimizing resource usage, and automating repetitive tasks. Mopria Alliance member Dex Imaging shared more about both on their blog at the start of the year.
These trends reinforce each other. Cloud infrastructure enables smarter devices, which reduce user complexity, and universal standards like Mopria make both possible across manufacturers.
“Universal standards like Mopria ensure a consistent experience by creating a common language for devices, apps, and cloud platforms to communicate seamlessly. Instead of relying on custom drivers or software for commodity features, printers and multifunction devices can connect and operate reliably across different operating systems and networks. This interoperability is key as cloud and AI-driven features expand, enabling secure printing, predictive maintenance, and resource optimization without added setup or complexity. By aligning manufacturers around shared protocols, universal standards eliminate experience barriers with solutions and services, allowing users and businesses to benefit from smarter, more connected workflows, no matter which devices they use.”
-Michael St. Laurent, Print Software and Consumer Services Chief Architect at HP
Sustainability: Engineering for the Long Term
Moving From Claims to Measurable Impact
Mandatory sustainability reporting arrived in 2025 as thousands of companies published statements under the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), and 78% of organizations say it’s important that suppliers monitor environmental impact. The emphasis shifted from eco-friendly messaging to specific, auditable metrics.
For product teams, this raised a key question: where does sustainability actually happen? Some of the biggest opportunities came from architecture itself, universal standards reducing physical waste from driver distribution media, forward-compatible designs extending hardware lifecycles, and standardized protocols minimizing service calls.
Printers in 2025 were increasingly built with energy-efficient technologies, eco-friendly materials, and waste-reduction mechanisms to help businesses align with environmental goals. But sustainability engineering means more: designing for repairability, building for software longevity, creating devices that gain capabilities through updates rather than becoming obsolete.
“As 2025 comes to a close, Kyocera celebrates a year of innovation where sustainability met performance. Our printers are designed to be energy-efficient, secure by default, and built to minimize environmental impact. We track carbon footprint, energy use, and consumables longevity to ensure every product supports a greener workflow. Balancing sustainability with traditional business demands challenged us, but drove creativity – modular designs and our ECO footPRINT™ Toner Recycling Program, where empty toner containers are returned, reused, or repurposed, advancing circular economy principles. At Kyocera, printing isn’t just about output – it’s about responsible innovation, delivering reliable, secure, and environmentally conscious solutions.”
-Dilinur Wushour, President at Kyocera Document Solutions Development America, Inc.
Designing Devices to Last
The standard three-to-five-year hardware refresh cycle is unsustainable, with one-third of IT decision-makers now saying device longevity is a key selection factor. This requires designing for open standards that keep devices relevant longer—different firmware architectures, modular components, and accepting that customers may not replace devices as frequently.
This requires different thinking from product teams. Instead of engineering around expected obsolescence, it means designing for open standards that keep devices relevant longer—different firmware architectures, modular components, and accepting that customers may not replace devices as frequently.
With 84% of organizations planning to increase expenditure on AI, 79% planning to upgrade to AI PCs, and 73% planning to refresh print infrastructure at the same time, there’s a significant opportunity to build devices that will serve users well into the next decade.
“In today’s fast-paced tech landscape, designing devices that remain relevant over time requires intentional engineering choices. One key decision is modular architecture—building systems with replaceable components and firmware that can be updated remotely. This approach extends hardware lifecycles while enabling software-driven improvements. Predictive analytics and IoT telemetry also play a role, allowing proactive maintenance and reducing downtime, which keeps devices functional and valuable longer.
Balancing extended lifecycles with innovation is a strategic challenge. The answer lies in continuous improvement frameworks, such as agile development and data-driven design. By leveraging real-time insights from connected fleets, engineers can anticipate evolving customer needs and integrate enhancements without disrupting core reliability. Sustainability goals further reinforce this balance: designing for durability reduces waste, while iterative innovation ensures products stay competitive.
Ultimately, longevity and innovation aren’t opposing forces—they’re complementary. When engineering teams prioritize adaptability and maintainability alongside breakthrough features, they create devices that not only meet today’s expectations but also evolve gracefully into tomorrow’s demands.”
-Eric McCann, Manager, Technology Portfolio Architect at Lexmark
Looking Ahead: What’s Next
As we head into 2026, a few themes are already taking shape:
🔹 AI that actually helps – Intelligence deployed to solve real problems
🔹 Zero-trust everywhere – Security that authenticates everything while staying invisible
🔹 Circular by design – Products engineered for long life and responsible end-of-life
🔹 True interoperability – Standards that make vendor lock-in technically unnecessary
The companies that succeed will solve genuine problems elegantly. Not the most features, but the best experiences.
This is what we’re working toward at Mopria Alliance—print and scan standards that ensure devices connect easily, work securely, and operate sustainably. Technology that’s most visible in its absence, when everything simply works.
What challenges is your team tackling in 2026?
Join us in building better print infrastructure. The Mopria Alliance brings together leading technology companies developing universal standards for printing and scanning. With 9,500+ Mopria certified printer models and 120M+ devices worldwide, we’re making print infrastructure that just works, simply, securely, and sustainably.
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The Mopria Alliance is a non-profit membership organization of leading global technology companies developing universal standards for printing and scanning. Learn more at Mopria.org.
