HP Imaging and Printing Group (IPG) has announced a new business direction for 2012 providing its ePrint service through both public and private cloud computing.

It also expects revenue growth in the double digits next year.

Vatsun Thirapatarapong, IPG general manager for Hewlett-Packard (Thailand), said the company had a new business model to provide the ePrint platform to support customers ranging from individual consumers to enterprises. The platform will allow customers to control their printing needs over the Internet via cloud computing.

For the public cloud, the platform will allow individuals who own an ePrint-compatible HP printer to print their documents via the Internet. Meanwhile, the enterprise platform will support companies using cloud printing so that customers can manage security. Moreover, businesses will be able to enter the ePrint platform in terms of pay per click.

He added that next year, the firm would also focus its business upcountry, as well as on the education and healthcare sectors, which have high potential for growth.

"I think that the ePrint platform will have growth potential given the dynamic growth of digital content, broadband infrastructure and mobility or mobile devices, including smart phones, notebooks and tablets. IDC [International Data Corp] reported that the Thai smart-phone market reached 3.5 million units in 2011 and would continue to grow in 2012," Vatsun said.

In HP's fiscal year that ended in October, IPG revenue grew 12 per cent year on year. In 2012, the firm expects double-digit growth driven by digital content, mobility devices and the new printing service platform. Moreover, the ePrint & Share services for the graphic segment will be a new market.