People looking to buy a new printer and ink supplies in 2012 may find they have a wide range of options available, as next year is said to offer many new developments.

It was noted by PC World magazine that cloud and mobile technologies are set to feature strongly, with models from manufacturers such as Kodak, Canon and Epson among those to take advantage of innovations in this area.

The publication's senior editor Melissa Riofrio noted: "Though the underlying technology hasn't changed much, the addition of mobile printing via Wi-Fi and of cloud printing via email now allows printers to follow their users onto their smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices."

She added Google's Cloud Print app could be one way in which users produce documents, as it can be used to print via email on any device hooked up to a PC with an internet connection.

Several firms, such as HP and Kodak also offer machines that can access this service without the need for a computer.

It may have already proven to be a popular choice, as Google recently stated over six million printers have been connected to the facility through the Chrome web browser since it launched.