HP have announced a breakthrough ink-based printing platform, the result of a five-year, $1.4 billion strategic investment that the company believes will catapult its leadership in the printer market years ahead of its competitors.

HP unveiled its first products built on the new scalable printing technology, which is designed specifically to deliver high-performance printing for high-volume users. These include the world’s fastest home photo printing devices – 4 x 6-inch photos in as fast as 14 seconds – as well as the world’s fastest desktop colour business printer, which enables small and medium-size businesses to print up to twice the speed and 30 per cent lower cost-per-page than colour laser printers.

“We are marking a milestone in HP’s 21-year printing history,” said Vyomesh Joshi, executive vice president, Imaging and Printing Group, HP. “This technology is the next step in our business transformation – the master key that unlocks new market opportunities and further growth in our printer business. Today’s announcement will create a new perspective and experience around printing in the home, in the office and for the entire industry needing digital prints.”

Bringing new levels of choice to customers while meeting their diverse printing needs and budgets, HP also announced a range of digital photography products, including the industry’s first compact photo printer capable of printing 5 x 7-inch photos and storing up to a year’s worth of photos (more than 1,000 images).