After yesterday's report that support for using Apple's AirPrint feature in iOS 4.2 to print to shared printers connected to Macs and Windows PCs appears to have been scrapped at the last minute, one MacRumors forum member emailed Steve Jobs to inquire about the fate of the feature. Jobs reportedly replied, noting that AirPrint has not been canceled.
Q: As a release-day purchaser of an iPad, I was elated when you revealed iOS 4.2 would support AirPrint. Now comes reports AirPrint support has been pulled from 4.2. Between announcements/assurances of the white iPhone, and now the pulling of AirPrint, is Apple going to lose credibility and become known for announcing "vaporware"?
A: AirPrint has not been pulled. Don't believe everything you read.
Unfortunately, the exchange sheds little light on the situation, as the initial report did not claim that AirPrint had been entirely pulled, only that printing to shared printers connected to Macs and PCs had been removed at the last minute. Consequently, both the rumor and Jobs' comments can be entirely correct.
Apple has touted that AirPrint will allow users to print directly from iOS devices to compatible printers, with HP leading the way in releasing AirPrint-friendly printers. That aspect of AirPrint has not been rumored for discontinuation, with only printing to other printers accessible via sharing from Macs and PCs being the subject of the claims.
Apple has been rumored to be releasing Mac OS X 10.6.5 and iTunes 10.1 today, with iOS 4.2 set to follow on Friday, although we have yet to see any indication from Apple of today's rumored releases.
