Hardcopy Peripherals Decline in 2Q26, with Ink Tank as a Bright Spot

Global shipments of hardcopy peripherals continued to contract, experiencing a 7.0% year-over-year decrease to 17.2 million units in the second quarter of 2026, according to IDC. The total value of shipments for the quarter reached $8.1 billion, representing a 5.8% decline compared to the previous year.

While inkjet models suffered a larger portion of the decline, ink tank devices continued to expand globally, supported by growth in both emerging and mature markets. Laser technology simultaneously experienced a year-over-year reduction, led by monochrome devices. Ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East influenced oil prices, straining supply chains and prompting end users to postpone purchasing decisions. “2Q26 was marked by geopolitical and economic volatility that left both consumer and commercial buyers cautious, dampening appetite for investment in new products,” stated Maggie Tan, Vice President at IDC. “This headwind is likely to persist until the macro picture stabilizes.”

Ink tank shipments rose annually, continuing to gain market share from cartridge-based models as vendors expand their portfolios in this segment. Laser shipments contracted again, though the decline was less severe than that of inkjet. Weakness was more evident in A3 configurations, although the decline in A4 units narrowed. Both color and monochrome laser categories were down, with monochrome experiencing a sharper decline. Notably, the 45-90ppm monochrome segment resisted the trend, showing slight year-over-year growth.

The Asia/Pacific region (excluding Japan and China) demonstrated the most robust year-over-year expansion, primarily driven by sustained growth in India. Conversely, the contraction in China’s shipments intensified during the second quarter. The effects of front-loaded government subsidies, diminished consumer demand, and limited enterprise budgets suppressed overall market activity, with A3 color multi-function peripherals (MFPs) serving as the primary area of growth.

Latin America returned to year-over-year growth, bolstered by a recovery in the laser sector and sustained performance in the inkjet segment. While shipment growth remained modest, market value increased more rapidly, reflecting a more favorable product mix and higher demand for premium categories. In the United States, both laser and inkjet shipments saw significant annual declines as economic uncertainty was compounded by supply chain issues. Western Europe’s market contraction also worsened in the second quarter, with inkjet declining more steeply than laser. A notable exception was the ink tank segment, which achieved strong annual growth.