• Launch activity reached 121 new products, declining 15% compared to 2023
• Portfolios continued to shift from A3 to A4
• Average public sector prices increased across several key segments

The US copier market demonstrated a significant shift in 2024, with newcomers taking two of the top three spots for launch activity. With 28 new products announced, Fujifilm Business Innovation had the most launches in 2024. The move was marked by the OEM’s September announcement to partner with Marco Technologies, which became the first US dealer authorized to sell Apeos A3 and A4 MFPs. The partnership underscored Fujifilm’s strategy of westward expansion following the dissolution of the Fuji-Xerox partnership in 2021 and the OEM’s formal entry into European markets in April 2024.

Konica Minolta captured second place with 21 product launches in 2024, marking a noteworthy shift in pace after introducing just five products in 2023. The product introductions were made across two distinct launch announcements. These included the launch of eight A4 devices in March and the introduction of 13 A3 MFPs in July.

Katun rounded out the top three with a major announcement in September, when the brand unveiled its new Arivia lineup, effectively marking Katun’s entry into the US (and global) copier market. Although 11 A3 toner-based devices were initially introduced, OpenBrand uncovered four additional configurations within the series, which features color devices ranging from 25ppm to 65ppm and monochrome devices between 25ppm and 55ppm.

A4 devices demonstrated steady growth over the two years, with product counts increasing by 12% from 214 in 1H 2023 to 239 in 2H 2024. The second half of 2024 ended with 215 A3 products available to dealers. Although this number represents a 3% increase compared to 1H 2023, this count is still lower than the number of A4 models offered. This shift reflects the ongoing market attention toward compact, cost-effective solutions that align with the needs of hybrid and decentralized work environments.

In Q4 2024, brands displayed distinct strategies in balancing their A3 and A4 portfolios. Lexmark and Kyocera leaned heavily toward A4 devices, with 40 and 31 A4 models, respectively. Brother focused entirely on A4 with 19 models, reinforcing its commitment to the SMB and SOHO segments (as well as its lack of A3 technology or partnerships). Canon also leaned more toward A4, offering 27 A4 models compared to 15 A3 devices. Conversely, Xerox and Toshiba prioritized A3 devices, with 43 and 25 models, respectively. HP maintained a balanced portfolio with 32 A3 and 30 A4 models, while Sharp and Ricoh showed similar dual-focus strategies to address diverse market needs.

During the period, A3 mono segment prices experienced significant increases across all tiers. Segment 2 Mono saw a 32% rise, from $2,519 to $3,334, and Segment 3 Mono grew by 41% from $3,415 to $4,818. Segment 4 Mono rose by 28% from $5,028 to $6,423 while Segment 5 Mono experienced a 22% increase from $9,899 to $12,122. Finally, Segment 6 Mono saw the most significant rise at 14%, increasing from $14,608 to $16,691.

A4 color segment prices exhibited mixed trends, with some tiers experiencing growth and others showing declines. Segment 2 Color saw a slight decline of 4% from $993 to $958. Segment 3 Color remained relatively stable, with a modest decline of 3% from $1,834 to $1,774. Segment 4a Color experienced a decrease of 2%, from $3,406 to $3,346 while, in contrast, Segment 4b Color pricing grew 6% from $5,970 to $5,911.

Average A4 mono segment prices also exhibited varied trends across tiers. Segment 3 Mono showed a modest increase of 19% from $660 to $784 while Segment 4 Mono, however, experienced a 3% decline from $1,644 to $1,599. Segment 5 Mono demonstrated 3% growth, increasing from $3,212 to $3,116.