It’s been 5 years since the release of the iX500. With improvements in design, function, and software, this next-generation scanner has made an enormous evolution. (…) Users can now easily manage, edit, and utilize various types of scanned paper with the all-new ScanSnap Home. By combining your favorite ScanSnap software functions into a single application, it enables you to organize your documents, business cards, receipts, photos, and much more. (…)
ScanSnap Home offers excellent functions to organize and search through your data by enabling the creation of folders, tags, and keywords. You can now find [the] information you need easier than before. (…) ScanSnap iX1500 comes with 4 ScanSnap Home user licenses and 1 Nuance user license. Additional ScanSnap Home licenses are available for purchase.
From the brochure:
ScanSnap Home installation requires a computer and Internet. Activation is also necessary for software use.
I am not sure what to think about this device.
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There is a LCD on this scanner. Well, other companies have done that. But their scanners are able to work on their own. They do not need a computer. The LCD on this new device is just kind of a sophisticated remote to use profiles and stuff like that on a PC or a Mac that is connected to the scanner. I would have preferred a simple button like on the ix500. What is the point of a LCD, if the processing is being done on the Mac? Switching profiles in the ScanSnap Manager works just fine!
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I cannot find information about scanning to iOS. Given the already quite neglected iOS ScanSnap app, I do not expect much good coming out of this…
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Fujitsu sees the new scanner as successor to the ix500. As far as I am concerned, the new scanner is a completely different device and I do not see the use case.
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If I buy a scanner that is connected to one computer at a time via USB or a Wireless Network, why do I need to use a software that has to be activated on a user by user basis? After all, I paid for the scanner and the scanner does not work without the software. “Additional licenses available.” Well, if I pay for the scanner, I want the scanner to scan… I do not want to care about software activation. I did not pay for a software. I paid for a scanner. I am fine with the concept that the scanner needs a software to work like the ix500, but I really should not have to bother with software licensing. Yes, 4 licenses sound plenty. But if you have a office environment with trainees who rotate in the company, dealing with licenses is a pain in the rear (activation, deactivation and so on). The ix500 can only be connected to one computer at a time. Why do we need a software mechanism to restrict the scanner’s use even more? It is no network scanner!
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All of this almost feels like “scanning as a service”. It does not feel right. The device’s pricing will be interesting to see.
I am seriously considering switching to a dedicated network capable document scanner if my ix500 will eventually stop working. I am not happy with this development… I just want to have a scanner that scans multiple paper formats on both sides reliably to a folder with predefined settings… 
EDIT: 575 Euro. Well, no surprise. For just 400 Euro you can buy the Brother ADS-2800W. It can work on its own scanning to a network destination or it scans to a software of your choice… Yes, it is a different concept and I love the Scansnap software’s scan quality, but I find it hard to justify the extra cost and the new software limitations.