Some people see it as the iPod Touch Deluxe, others see it as a computer that doesn’t feel like a computer, and a standup comedian sees it as a practice aid for his golf swing. But regardless of how you feel about the new Apple iPad, it’s clear that the highly publicized touchscreen laptop is getting a warm commercial reception with strong sales in its first week on the market. That said, an important question has emerged from behind the hype machine – can you print from an iPad? The answer has been harder to find than you might think. We’ve seen the recent emergence of iPhone printing apps, but widely read media sources like ZDNet and USA Today have told us you can’t print directly from an iPad.
Fortunately, Lyra Research Inc. has brought Obama-like hope to confused consumers with its recent article entitled iPad Printing – Yes It Can!. Apparently you can download a third party app called PrintCentral, which is made by the same company that developed the Print n Share app we covered last summer. PrintCentral costs $9.99, and according to the Lyra article, the initial sales numbers are encouraging. But the confusion over the iPad’s printing capabilities raises a second interesting question – is printing losing its significance in an increasingly mobile and digital media marketplace?
What stands out to me is that according to the Lyra article, during a briefing with USA Today, Apple executives didn’t know that you could print from an iPad, and didn’t acknowledge the possibility that third party printing apps like PrintCentral even existed. So on the supply side, Apple appears to envision the iPad primarily as a standalone display for digital content. On the other hand, the fact that iPad printing capability (or lack thereof) has been asked about so much indicates that consumers expect and demand it.
Also, many existing iPhone and iPod Touch compatible apps like Canon’s Easy-PhotoPrint make it pretty clear that they work with the iPad too. So maybe Apple is wisely saving time and money by delegating app development to the companies and consumers who want certain features. One thing is for sure – people have more options than ever for reading, processing, and interacting with content. And as the Lyra article suggests, that just means printer OEMs and third party developers will have to work a lot harder to spread the word that you can print directly from an iPad.
