If Epson begins selling their new printers with the Cone-defeating firmware already installed, then no new printers will work. Who knows, that could be the ultimate plan. Meantime, seems as though if the manufacture is generic and only US machines get this firmware, then Epson might at least for a time be comfortable having this an upgrade done on installation post-purchase. But if instead, the defeating-firmware is loaded for US machines prior to purchase, then we're toast.
Like I said, at that point, a 3880 (or some other old machine) becomes the only option. That's "not nice".