HP is launching its HP ePrint system — essentially an app store to make it easy to print content of your choice direct from an Internet-connected HP printer — to Asia-Pac journalists in Hong Kong today. But while it wants everyone to get excited about printer apps, the company clammed right up as soon as the assembled tech journos started asking the obvious question: will there be adult apps available?
HP inkjet SVP Stephen Nigro positively cringed with embarrassment when asked whether or not there would be Apple-style content restrictions on ePrint apps. “I really can’t comment on that one way or the other,” he said, though he did confirm that there would be a certification process and “guidelines”.
Pressed on the point — let’s face it, porn printing apps would be a big money spinner — he added: “I don’t have an answer right now to that.” He did note, however, that ePrint apps probably wouldn’t have the huge volume of crapware diversity of Apple’s App Store. “We’re not going to have a beer drinking app that makes the burp because that doesn’t have printer relevance,” he said.
But still: Damn. There go my plans for the HP DP app . . .