This 2006 user segment study looks at the printer market through five end-user environments. The information contained in the study relates to user segment shares and forecasts for the printer market in Western Europe and is based on the latest 2005 printer forecast from published printer studies. The segments covered are home, businesses with fewer than 100 employees, 100-499 employees, 500 or more employees, and government/education. The information is provided for all classes of printer from desktop through to high speed. All information is provided for 16 countries in Western Europe: Germany, France, the U.K., Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden, Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Switzerland, Austria, Spain, Portugal, Greece, and Ireland.

According to Julio Vial, quarterly research manager with IDC's Printers group, "In terms of unit activity, the professional market offers the largest market opportunity throughout the forecast period. More than half of all printers will be sold to the business environment."