Does the current rebate suggest that a replacement for the Epson 4800 is on the near horizon? (obviously more heads are needed to solve the matte/gloss ink change issue which is a major drawback compared to the new canon iPF5000...) Any rumors of an upgrade in sight from Epson?

This thread is 18 months old now... and at that time the 4800 wasn't brand new and also shared much with its 4800 predecessor. Epson did add vivid magenta to the 4880, but is a new 12-color model coming any time soon in the pipeline in response to canon and hp gaining some ground? Will we see a new epson inkjet for the summer of 2008?

I haven't heard any current news - it is odd that the smaller cheaper 3800 has been out so long now with some superiorities that haven't been picked up by its larger brothers. On the other hand, don't take ink chemestry lightly. After all with fine art prints and photographs, it's the ink you're ultimately selling, and the printer is just a vehicle.

Just the same, it's interesting to have some (less proven, but still interesting) competition in the marketplace with lucia and vivera.