Apple Delays or Cancels Support for AirPrint Via Shared Printers on Macs and PCs?

Just came across this article on MacStories.net

http://www.macstories.net/news/rumor-apple-has-cancelled-support-for-airprint-on-mac-and-pc/

Can any devs confirm/deny this? If indeed it is true, the usefulness of AirPrint just went down dramatically.

Seriously hoping this isn't true, but it looks like it is...

Hope that's not the case, or this "feature" becomes nearly useless as most of us are not going to run out and buy a new printer just to get this to work. I currently use PrintNShare through my Mac with mixed but decent results; still, was hoping 4.2 would be an improvement.

if I have my printer connected through a time machine router does that matter at all?

They should just drop the entire current printing and replace it with real printing like drivers for all printers, through routers, airprint and via Dock to USB cable. It's ridiculous that a $800 computer that is over 50 times as fast as my first Mac can't print.

It's magical device. You don't need to print.
I will stick with my 4.2 GM for a long time before they fix this crap.

They should just drop the entire current printing and replace it with real printing like drivers for all printers, through routers, airprint and via Dock to USB cable. It's ridiculous that a $800 computer that is over 50 times as fast as my first Mac can't print.

To carry all the printer drivers required takes up about a gigabyte, which on a 16gb device is a not insignificant amount. Airprint worked (I assume!) by handing over all the driver-based work to the shared Mac or PC, which in turn printed the document. It's really the best solution to a difficult problem, and I don't see any other way around it.

They should just drop the entire current printing and replace it with real printing like drivers for all printers, through routers, airprint and via Dock to USB cable. It's ridiculous that a $800 computer that is over 50 times as fast as my first Mac can't print.

No thanks! AirPrint as well as using Mac or pc printer sharing is a MUCH more elegant solution since it is completely driverless.

To carry all the printer drivers required takes up about a gigabyte, which on a 16gb device is a not insignificant amount. Airprint worked (I assume!) by handing over all the driver-based work to the shared Mac or PC, which in turn printed the document. It's really the best solution to a difficult problem, and I don't see any other way around it.

well, its not a solution since I and many others can't print at all unless we buy a new printer. I'd rather have a setup program through itunes that allows me to select the relevant drivers for me if I don't want to carry all drivers. Currently you either need to buy a new printer or boot you computer up. But then I'd rather print from the computer right away. Not a good solution.

No thanks! AirPrint as well as using Mac or pc printer sharing is a MUCH more elegant solution since it is completely driverless.

No it's not driverless since the drivers need to be on your computer and your computer needs to be around and running to be able to print. Needing to go to Best Buy and buy a new printer is not really an elegant solution.......

http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/10/11/09/apple_may_delay_support_for_airprint_through_macs_and_windows_pcs.html


On the Apple Developer forums, one developer claims that Apple Tech Support told him that "support for AirPrint on Windows and Mac has been cancelled." The limitation of AirPrint to a select few HP printers would severely limit the usefulness of the feature, forcing most users to purchase a new printer to take advantage of it. Users, especially business users, have been greatly looking forward to the wireless printing feature, which was promised to be easy to use and to work with any printer connected to a Mac or PC, and will undoubtedly be disappointed to discover that AirPrint has been hobbled by a lack of Mac or PC support.

Adding to the confusion of whether support for the feature has been removed, developers have reported being able to print to Macs using earlier versions of Mac OS X 10.6.5 and the iOS 4.2 GM, as well as Windows PCs via the iTunes 10.1 Beta 2 for Windows, although it is unclear whether AirPrint support for Macs is still functioning in the latest Mac OS X 10.6.5 beta released Monday,.

Rumors suggest that Mac OS X 10.6.5 and iTunes 10.1 will arrive Wednesday, with iOS 4.2 coming on Friday at 10 a.m.

Though AirPrint support for Mac and PC printing may have been delayed, it's clear that Apple is committed to developing wireless printing on the iOS. In September, a batch of patent applications for Apple's AirPlay and AirPrint communications protocols hinted that the company has big plans for the wireless printing feature.


I don't buy this.. but who knows.. Im actually looking forward to this feature :(