After an uproar from the printing industry, Adobe backs off from its exclusive arrangement with FedEx Kinkos in the next release, due by October.Adobe Systems officials announced on August 2 that the company would remove print-on-demand features linking its Acrobat reader to FedEx Kinko's stores in the next release of the viewer. The move came after an outcry from the printing industry over the partnership with FedEx Kinko's, which was announced in June.
The new version, due by October, will not include the link to FedEx Kinko's. However, FedEx Kinko's will continue to distribute a version with the print-on-demand feature from its own site.
A prepared statement issued by the company acknowledged the controversy. "We are implementing these changes as quickly as we can," the statement said. "However, we need time to write and test the software."
The statement also said that Adobe would create a Print Advisory Council to work with third party printers to develop standards for software integration.
The move came after Adobe fielded criticism from printers in July, at an advisory forum it held with printing industry associations and print partners. On July 17, the company issued a statement regarding the feedback it had received.
"Many ideas were discussed," the statement said, "but the key recommendations resulting from the forum were (to) reevaluate the implementation of the FedEx Kinko's service in Adobe Acrobat and Adobe Reader, explore options of making print service providers more discoverable in Adobe's creative products, (and) investigate the ability for printers to distribute a branded plug-in to their customers."
A spokesperson for FedEx Kinko's said that the company would not comment on the nature of its partnership with Adobe, and referred inquiries to Adobe.
