HP enables smartphone users to print content while on the move

Printing content from smart phones has just got easier. HP India R&D Labs has developed an application enabling users to get the content stored in their smartphones printed remotely at the nearest print locations.

The beauty of the application is that neither the user sending the print request nor the printing partner is required to plug in any additional hardware to his smartphone or printer to get the service enabled.

All a user needs to do is download the HP ePrint service app on his or her smartphone. The app enables one to scout a nearby printing partner’s place, using GPS capability. Once the user sends the print request for any document stored in the mobile phone, it locates an HP public print location closer to his place. Once the request is given, the user receives a secure release code. He needs to furnish that release code to the HP-authorised public print partner, who pulls the printing data from the cloud, using the ‘release the code’ instruction and gives the printout.

Any shop with a printer and a computer connected to the internet can become a HP public print partner. They need to register to get enrolled in the network, which is free of cost now. For a user, downloading of the HP ePrint app also does not require one to pay any fee to download the application. According to HP, once the service gathers critical mass, it will explore a business model wherein the printing partner will pay a small share of the profit he is making by getting the print orders from HP.

HP has already launched this service in America, where about five million applications have already been downloaded and about 20,000 print locations registered to offer the service.

However, most of the public print partners are organised players such as hotel chains, major airport lounges or even large enterprises like Fedex.

“We have taken into consideration that printing service providers are private individuals who own small shops. We don’t have those large chains like in the US. So, we have ensured how to make that system scalable enough for the Indian kind of environment,” added Gupta.

Presently, the service is available for BlackBerry, iPhone, iPad and iPod touch and Android smartphones.