For this last blog celebrating 20 years of bizhub, we’re not just looking back at how this platform reshaped multifunction printing – we’re looking ahead to what’s next. From its debut, bizhub has continuously evolved to meet the needs of changing workplaces, earning its place as a trusted, innovative solution for organizations everywhere. But the future is just as exciting. As digital transformation accelerates, three major trends are set to redefine the MFP landscape and guide the next generation of bizhub technology.
Trend #1: Print Is Far From Dead
In fact, it’s just getting smarter with support from cloud technology, and security continues to be paramount. According to a Keypoint Intelligence September 2025 report, approximately 52% of business content remains paper-based, with smaller firms more heavily reliant on paper use. Even in an increasingly digital world, industries such as education, healthcare, government and retail still depend on printed paper for many core workflows.
Research consistently shows that reading printed material leads to better comprehension than reading on screens. A 2024 meta‑analysis of 49 studies found that students who read on paper scored higher on comprehension tests than those who read the same content digitally – a gap researchers call the “screen inferiority effect.” Print provides tactile and visual cues that help the brain form “mental maps” for memory, while digital formats tend to encourage skimming rather than deep reading.
Keypoint Intelligence’s report also highlights how digital transformation is shaping print trends in North America, particularly around hardware usage and purchasing behavior. Buyers prioritize reliability, service support, output quality and speed, with security, compliance and sustainability gaining importance in sectors like healthcare and finance. Also notable is a shift toward buying directly from office equipment vendors, while larger enterprises continue to prefer OEM contracts for easier scalability. For digital transformation–focused buyers, cost reduction and operational efficiency remain the primary drivers in new hardware investments.
These trends make software and hardware purchases fundamental to integrations with enhanced digital workflows equally – if not more – important than hardware acquisitions.
Trend #2: The Cloud’s Role in Digital Transformation Is More Vital Than Ever
Cloud adoption continues to accelerate alongside AI and machine learning, yet despite the rise of AI assistants, their current limitations leave many customers hesitant to integrate AI into their devices due to concerns around trust and reliability. According to IDC’s research on the agentic future, “trust is the new advantage. Transparency, governance and human oversight turn AI risk into resilience and confidence.” AI may not yet be a must‑have in our bizhub MFPs, but we’ve already integrated impactful automation that simplifies tasks and streamlines daily workflows.
Purchasing responsibilities have increasingly shifted to IT teams due to the need to install, manage and secure connected workflows, yet many industries still adopt cloud solutions slowly for reasons that extend beyond budget constraints. As reported by whatfix.com, recent analysis by McKinsey shows the sectors that are driving digitalization spend and tech adoption – the early adopters – are IT itself, media and the insurance industries, followed by professional services organizations. These sectors also support a culture of digital enablement to increase end-user adoption and usage.
As workplaces modernize, organizations need easy‑to‑deploy solutions like native cloud functionality. Konica Minolta embeds this directly into its MFPs, enabling serverless print and scan with tools such as ScanTrip Cloud. Our Dispatcher services automate document workflows to reduce manual printing and improve productivity, while solutions like Shield Guard expand fleet‑wide security monitoring. All capabilities are powered by a modern architecture optimized for fast and reliable cloud performance.
Trend #3: Modern Workflows Demand Stronger Security Than Ever
As digital platforms become more central to daily operations, privacy and security risks continue to grow. Cyberattacks on networks and connected devices can lead to costly data breaches, ransom demands and major business disruptions. Every department touches sensitive information, and every access point – documents, logins, digital workflows – creates potential exposure. MFPs are no exception. Today’s models are built with robust, layered protection to secure the device and safeguard your data at every touchpoint.
According to Fortune Business Insights, the global document management system market was valued at USD 7.16 billion in 2024 and is projected to grow to USD 24.34 billion by 2032. This significant trend aligns with what we’re seeing among our larger enterprise customers, which are much more likely to be using digital processes and storage, including via the cloud. Per Keypoint Intelligence’s research, 81 percent of enterprises use print management solutions, with usage increasing with company size.
Cloud‑based storage and retrieval enhance document‑heavy workflows and reduce costs by removing the need for onsite hardware and support. However, many SMBs still hesitate to adopt digital document management due to budget pressures, limited technical expertise and a lack of perceived urgency. As organizations digitize and integrate more devices and applications, robust end‑to‑end security – including MFP protection – becomes critical to safeguarding information and ensuring business continuity.
Built on a layered, security‑by‑design framework, Konica Minolta’s bizhub MFPs protect every stage of the document lifecycle through integrated malware defenses, encrypted storage, automated remediation and centralized management, ensuring scalable, environment‑appropriate security with minimal complexity. Our commitment to deep, integrated protection was recently validated by the IDC, who named us a Leader in the 2025–26 IDC MarketScape for Worldwide Print Security Solutions and Services Hardcopy assessment for our vertically integrated architecture and comprehensive, end‑to‑end security model.
The Evolution of bizhub Continues
Going forward, customers can expect more third‑party integrations, expanded cloud options, enhanced security and continued functionality through the Konica Minolta Marketplace. The device may also see some design updates. What won’t change is bizhub’s role as a simple, secure and reliable office hub – trusted for more than 20 years. We remain committed to print excellence and to helping organizations transform the way they work.
We hope you’ll check out our award-winning bizhub One i-Series to see all these advantages for yourself.
bizhub Innovation & Security FAQs:
Built‑in Sensors, CRUs & Remote Support
Q1: How does bizhub keep work moving?
Smart features like the IM‑103 media sensor and an intuitive interface automatically adjust to paper type and weight, improving print quality and reducing misfeeds.
Q2: Why are Customer‑Replaceable Units (CRUs) important?
CRUs let customers swap key parts quickly, minimizing downtime. Devices also alert users before parts reach end of life to prevent disruptions.
Q3: Can bizhub devices be updated remotely?
Yes, firmware updates and settings can be deployed remotely across one device or an entire fleet, reducing service calls and keeping systems current.
Q4: What is bizhub vCare?
vCare is Konica Minolta’s remote service platform that proactively monitors device health and automates support, helping dealers resolve issues faster and reduce onsite visits.
Security Is Increasingly Important
Q5: How does bizhub protect sensitive information?
bizhub includes multi‑layered security such as user authentication, encrypted scanning, secure print release and storage media protection.
Q6: Can bizhub help prevent unauthorized access?
Yes, enhanced monitoring detects suspicious activity early to prevent breaches.
Q7: Is malware protection included?
bizhub features optional embedded BitDefender™ technology for real‑time antivirus and malware protection.
bizhub: Proven Performance & Innovation
Q8: What sets bizhub apart?
bizhub stands out for its reliability, built‑in security, cloud connectivity, intelligent media handling and exceptional color quality.
Q9: What’s next for bizhub?
Expect more cloud integrations, stronger security, additional third‑party solutions and continued enhancements through the Konica Minolta Marketplace.
Q10: Where can I learn more?
Explore the bizhub One i‑Series to see Konica Minolta’s latest innovations in action.
