Depreciation of V3 and V4 Drivers on Windows

[Slammers]

Unsure if anyone has seen this article:

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/drivers/print/end-of-servicing-plan-for-third-party-printer-drivers-on-windows

It sounds like Microsoft will be forcing IPP with settings managed by print manufacturer Store Apps.

From the article:

"With the release of Windows 10 21H2, Windows offers inbox support for Mopria compliant printer devices over network and USB interfaces via the Microsoft IPP Class Driver. This removes the need for print device manufacturers to provide their own installers, drivers, utilities, and so on.  Device experience customization is now available via the Print Support Apps that are distributed and automatically installed via the Windows Store."

If you read on the notes do mention that drivers can still be installed:

"Q: Will Windows prevent installation of new printer drivers?

A: Windows will continue to allow vendor-supplied printer drivers to be installed via separate installation packages.
"

Has anyone else had look into this? In my experience the IPP driver and APP is usually terrible, especially if you are using booklet finishers or anything that is not not basic printing.
We also have clients where the Windows Store App is disabled org wide as part of GPO and the companion app will not install.

I am hoping that installing PCL6 drivers via PrintManagement will still work, and the Q and A does seem to suggest this.

Thoughts?

[Black Cloud]

So, you will still be able to install the manufacturer's drivers. What will be confusing to the customer is that Windows will install its own driver too. Now if you are using Account Track then printing will only work on the OEM driver. So... the customer will fail to get printed documents through the Microsoft driver in this case, since the Microsoft driver doesn't support Account Track. If you delete the Microsoft driver it will self install again.

[Slammers]

So, you will still be able to install the manufacturer's drivers. What will be confusing to the customer is that Windows will install its own driver too. Now if you are using Account Track then printing will only work on the OEM driver. So... the customer will fail to get printed documents through the Microsoft driver in this case, since the Microsoft driver doesn't support Account Track. If you delete the Microsoft driver it will self install again.

Yeah it is the confusion that is going to arise for customers that don't have supported IT contracts and people that install drivers themselves.
Many clients even disable IPP/WSD completly in the web interface of the MFDs to prevent this protocol.

I really hope that if the system already has the bespoke pcl6 driver installed that Windows doesn't try to get smart and install the IPP driver, but, considering this is Microsoft, and I have witnessed this myself, I dont hold up much hope.

I have drafted up some documentation that I can send to clients if this becomes an issue in the future.