IT Pro: When it comes to cloud printing, there doesn't seem to be an industry standard at the moment. There's HP ePrint, there's Google Cloud Print, HP's competitors have their own systems. Do you think that will discourage consumers and businesses from adopting cloud printing?
VJ: Nope, because the important part is ease of use. So with our solution, you can have any operating system you could have a Nokia phone, a HTC or Sony Ericsson Android phone, an iPhone, if you can email then you can print. It's very different from the PC world where you have to know your operating system and get drivers. Now, we don't have the concept of drivers! If the customer doesn't have to think about it, that's the best solution.
IT Pro: But surely, customers at the moment do have to think about it!
VJ: No they don't. They don't need a driver to print if you know the email address of the printer then you can print. If you have any iOS device, it will automatically discover the printer thanks to AirPrint.
Just having PC connectivity in those {emerging} markets is not enough.
IT Pro: When it comes to emerging markets such as Brazil, India, China etc, is the potential there for cloud printing greater or less than Europe?
VJ: In some ways it's greater. In those markets, the penetration of smartphones is much higher than that of PCs. Then there's sheer numbers there are 250-300 million mobile subscribers in China and they're adding something like five million every month! It's crazy numbers! So, just having PC connectivity in those markets is not enough.
