Intelligent Tech Channels Issue 07 | Page 12

EDITOR’S COMMENT EDITOR’S COMMENT Faking IT: The real cost of counterfeit print supplies Mathew Thomas, Vice President and Managing Director of HP Middle East and Turkey. C ounterfeiting is big business and a big problem. It not only affects businesses and global trade through lost revenue, reputation damage and falling consumer confidence, but it can also have a wider impact on society, damaging employment and helping to fund international, often organised, crime. Unfortunately, the market for counterfeit goods shows no signs of abating. Europol has warned that the production and distribution of counterfeit goods is an increasingly attractive route for organised criminals wanting to ‘diversify their product range’. It’s a problem acutely felt by printer manufacturers worldwide. High demand for print supplies has caused a marked increase in the number of counterfeit print products appearing on the market, and the growth of online retail has only made it easier for counterfeiters to operate. The sad truth is that some consumers, choosing to buy original ink and toner made by their printer’s manufacturer, end up as the victims of this crime, often unwittingly until problems arise. Some are mis-sold cheaper – but legal – alternative 12 products and, at worst, some are supplied completely faked branded goods. Attractive deals advertising greatly reduced prices online may save some money now, but the consumer or business usually ends up paying over the odds further down the line. Firstly, using non-OEM supplies can cause performance and reliability issues. Should your printer break as a result of using counterfeit printer ink or toner, you could also have issues with your manufacturer’s warranty becoming invalid. The short-term gains simply aren’t worth the potential long-term problems. And counterfeiting can have a wider impact on society, reaching far beyond the end user. For example, approximately 2.5 million jobs across G20 regions have been lost due to the growth of counterfeiting and piracy, according to BASCAP (Business Action to Stop Counterfeiting and Piracy) estimates. On top of that, the Imaging Supplies Coalition estimates that counterfeiting has a global impact of $3 billion on the printing supplies industry alone each year. Those behind the sale of counterfeit printer products often build their businesses exclusively on counterfeiting. In other cases, they mix illegitimate and original products, and sell them together at the same time, making it more difficult to spot fakes. These sophisticated techniques mean it’s getting harder and harder to catch the culprits behind the sale of these illegal products. This is why printer manufacturers like HP are actively involved in anti-counterfeit measures. It not only helps channel partners and customers ensure they are selling the correct quality and legitimate products, but also supports our society in trying to eradicate this slice of the counterfeiting industry. We work with local law-enforcement authorities across the globe to investigate and seize counterfeit products, to help keep customers safe from being sold poor quality and unlawful goods. For example, in just six months last year, from May–October 2016, HP worked with agencies across EMEA to seize 1.9 million counterfeit products. With the counterfeiting of goods, especially printing products, growing at an alarming rate, both businesses and consumers need to be extra vigilant about the ink and toner they’re buying. Customers can identify counterfeit goods in three easy ways: 1. Scan the box: Use your smartphone to scan the QR code on an HP cartridge’s security seal; you’ll automatically be taken to our validation screen. 2. Check the labels: HP cartridges are supplied with both a holographic security label to validate authenticity, and a tamper-evident label with clear instructions to identify whether the product has been inferred with. 3. Head online: You can also validate serial numbers from our security labels online at hp.com/go/ok  ssue 07 NTELLIGENT TECH CHANNELS The Internet of Things: The best is yet to come T he Internet of Things (IoT) is a term that’s been bandied about for a long time and we’re finally at a stage where it’s coming more into the forefront in terms of the technology and consumer adoption. IoT is starting to make a difference to many areas of our lives. Connected smart meters wirelessly track our domestic energy usage, while smart watches and smart cars are playing a small but influential role in the wider IoT movement. And this is even before we get started on connected home technologies, ranging from security sensors to connected light bulbs . . . and even smart toasters. However, one question is still in the back of my mind: “When will the Internet of Things really hit the big time?” If we accept that IoT’s moment is indeed yet to come, then I’m glad to say we can put a date on it at last. In our new international study, The Internet of Things, Today and Tomorrow, we asked 3,100 execs from 20 countries about IoT. The research found a whole range of interesting ideas and attitudes, but it also told us that 2019 will be IoT’s breakthrough year. In fact, 85 per cent of businesses plan to start using IoT technologies by 2019. So, put a note in your diary. What else did the study find? Here’s the good, the bad and the ugly: • IoT is over-delivering. The survey discovered an ‘expectations dividend’: the real-world benefits gained from IoT are exceeding original expectations in all areas. In other words, believe the hype. • ROI is looking good; very good. Four fifths of companies that use IoT technology report seeing an increase in business efficiency, while the average return on investment from an IoT deployment is 34 per cent. • A lot of people claim to know what IoT means. But few really know. A massive 98 per cent of those surveyed up of the technology, compared to 60 per cent in APAC and 66 per cent in the Americas. This could be from a lack of preparedness and a lack of willingness to explore IoT’s benefits. IoT has already made its mark Morten Illum, VP of EMEA, Aruba. think they have the true definition, but there’s no consensus. Keep reading: we’ll come back to this in a moment. • IoT has some hurdles to clear. IoT has proven its value, but barriers still exist. The cost of implementation (50 per cent), maintenance (44 per cent) and integration of legacy technologies (43 per cent) are the top three. But there is hope: technologies are already available that both cut infrastructure costs and smooth the integration process. • IoT brings incredible opportunities, but also credible threats. Alarmingly, 84 per cent of organisations that use IoT have experienced an IoT-related security breach. As IoT continues to grow, businesses need to take steps to protect their networks and devices. Without gaining visibility of IoT activities, organisations are leaving themselves open to attack. Things vary across regions Arguably, Europe and the wider EMEA region have a more conservative approach towards IoT, showing a 50 per cent take We’ve already seen some fantastic examples this year showing the impact IoT is making on the world. From Ford’s ten-million selling in-car SYNC system, featuring an automated emergency services link in the event of a crash, to the flood of healthcare applications such as Boston Children’s Hospital’s revolutionary use of smartphones to help detect and fight respiratory disease, IoT isn’t just for the tech geeks, looking for a way to be constantly connected to the Internet via data sharing. It’s revolutionising how businesses and public-sector companies alike operate to make a real difference. This means business Which brings us neatly to what IoT means. A single, coherent definition of IoT has so far eluded companies across the world, so who better to give the final word than Kevin Ashton, a tech pioneer who coined the phrase ‘Internet of Things’ back in 1999. In his new ebook, Making Sense of IoT, commissioned by Aruba, Ashton offers this as a definition: “What is the Internet of Things? It is not connecting everyday objects like toasters and refrigerators to the Internet. Products like these exist, but it is hard to see why. . . . What defines IoT is data capture. . . . The ‘Internet of Things’ means sensors connected to the Internet and behaving in an Internet-like way by making open, ad hoc connections, sharing data freely and allowing unexpected applications.” In short, IoT is now serious stuff . . . but just spare a thought for those poor smart toasters.  13