Market Challenges: Slow printing speed

One of the major factors holding back the growth of the portable printer market is the slow printing speeds offered by most portable printers. While portable printers provide consumers with print-on-the-go capabilities, their printing is often an order of magnitude slower than desktop printers. For example, based on data from the International Digital Corporation (IDC) in 2022, the average printing speed of portable printers is about 5-7 pages per minute (ppm) compared to desktop printers which often print at 20 ppm or higher. This slow speed means printing even just a few pages takes a noticeable amount of time when using a portable printer. For consumers and business users who need medium to large volume printing, the wait time can be frustrating and non-productive.

The sluggish printing speeds have made portable printers unsuitable for many printing jobs and use cases where time is of the essence. For instance, travelers needing to print out boarding passes or task-related documents in a hurry at the airport are not able to rely on portable printers. Similarly, sales and support professionals wanting to quickly print materials for clients find portable printers too slow. According to data from the World Travel & Tourism Council, the number of international tourist arrivals was 1.5 billion in 2020 but increased to over 4 billion in 2022 as mobility increased post pandemic. However, the slow printing speeds have prevented these portable printers from being widely adopted by these mobile professionals despite the growth in travel.

To boost adoption and growth, portable printer manufacturers need to focus on developing technologies that can significantly enhance printing speeds while still maintaining portability. Some options include using more efficient printheads and developing sophisticated packetization methods to process print jobs faster. Unless these speed issues are addressed, the potential of portable printers to gain bigger shares of the professional and high-volume personal printing markets will remain untapped, putting a ceiling on revenue growth potential for companies.

Market Opportunities: Advancement in printing technology

Advancements in printing technology will unlock tremendous opportunities in the global portable printer market in the coming years. 3D printing is emerging as a disruptive technology that could reshape manufacturing worldwide. The ability to print parts and products on demand will revolutionize numerous industries like healthcare, construction, automotive, and consumer goods. Portable 3D printers are already being developed and will enable on-site printing and decentralized manufacturing. This will provide more flexibility to businesses and boost productivity.

At the same time, the improvements in inkjet and laser printing technologies are enabling the creation of portable printers that are smaller, smarter and more versatile than before. New materials and methods allow printer manufacturers to design compact models that can print on various paper types and sizes. Some portable printers are also integrated with sensors and WiFi connectivity for scanning, copying and sending documents wirelessly from any location.

Sustainability is another area where portable printers are making a difference. According to a study by United Nations Environment Program about 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions are associated with paper production as of 2020. Portable printers equipped with features like double-sided printing, electronic document sharing are helping curb paper usage. They encourage digital documentation over physical files. This evolution towards paperless systems through portable connectivity solutions will be a major trend in the coming years as more businesses and governments adopt greener practices to achieve their climate change goals.