Is a 12-color epson on the way? to compete with HP and Canon?

How about GLOP gloss optimizer in their professional printers like they did on their little (cartridge) 1800?

Epson has been the standard for years now in art print and photographic inkjet quality due to thier superb ink. Yet HP now leads with their 12-color vivera and nice gloss. And even canon is ahead in some ways with their 8-color ink. When will Epson have a 12-color head, no black swapping between flat and photo, and gloss optimizer options? 3-months? 6-months? a year? Seems like the 4800 is getting long in the tooth now.

Have not yet heard any rumors of a 12-color Epson.

They have improved the screening technology an amazing amount judging by the 35x closeup posted at http://luminous-landscape.com/review...facelift.shtml which was already as good or better than canon's improved version. And improved the color gamut with the new vivid magenta inks in the 4880, 7880, and 9880 over the older 4800, 7800, and 9800 benchmark models.

And the new 11880 also mentioned at the above link in detail which will debut this fall has a 9-channel design which means no more switching betweeen matte and photo blacks (at last!)

But I've not heard rumors yet of additional ink channels nor an additional channel for gloss optimizer for glossing otherwise unprinted areas of the media yet.