Apple Drops iPod Touch 2nd Gen AirPrint Support [iOS 4.2]

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Apple seems to be accelerating its planned obsolescence program for all of its mobile devices these days. When AirPrint was first announced as functionality that allows you to print to networked printers directly from your iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad, Apple boasted that it would arrive for all iOS devices right down to their second generation iPod Touch with the next major iOS 4.2 release.

It is very unlikely that Apple would announce this unless they knew it was possible. Although Apple does seem to be making a few more web site related gaffs than normal as it struggles with its incredible growth as a company.

As of today, Apple have updated their roadmap for AirPrint, and that update was by way of dropping support for the iPod Touch 2nd Gen.

AirPrint iOS 4 iPod touch 2GAirPrint iOS 4 iPod touch 3rd Gen

Earlier devices have already been denied multitasking, and GameCenter, and not everyone agrees with Apple’s assertion that these older iOS devices are incapable of supporting these new features. Certainly those of us that peruse the dark mysterious corridors of other app stores from time to time have been known to stumble upon some apps that seem to contradict Apple’s strict view on their device capabilities.

There really is no reason for AirPrint being dropped from the 2nd Gen iPod Touch, other than to drive sales of newer units. Although I am sure if you spent enough time in close proximity to Steve Jobs he could probably convince you otherwise!

It seems that Apple is carefully controlling features of each new product iteration at the software level as well as the hardware level in an attempt to drive sales, and not have one product’s sales cannibalise anothers.

For those that want to have over the air printing with the next iOS release, and own devices made earlier than the 3rd Gen iPod Touch and the iPhone 3GS the only option now is to either upgrade, or hope that a jailbroken version of the next OS update can be mangled for their iPod or iPhone.. just like “iMovie for iPhone [4]” became iMovie for iPhone 3G and 3GS, and multitasking has been on all iPhones since the inception of Cydia.

Are you disgruntled that AirPrint is not coming to older devices? Have your say in the comments…

[9to5Mac]

  • Footballconnie12

    just jailbreak it u will get everything u could with the new idivices like multitasking and STUFF

  • Dalmolin_brandon

    WtF i just bought my ipod touch like 3 wks ago 2g mc model an now apple is nt allowing airprint on them y the fuck nt this is bullshit they said on 15 th of sep they were what made them change there mind!

  • Kev

    I love my iPod Touch and really enjoy it as both a gaming device and a pocket computer, but the way Apple iDevices are going obsolete very quickly is making me wonder if I made the right choice. No other gaming devices I know of would be going obsolete in under three years. iTouches are not cheap and I would like to get more than a year or two use out of a device I payed 300USD for. I will say I’m watching the progress of other OS devices such as Andriod with interest and if these devices improve and get good developer support, I might find myself getting out of the Apple game next time around.

  • Calum

    Damn I hate Apple sometimes! iPod touch 2G is more than capable of multitasking!! And it should be capable of bluetooth keyboard and airprint!!!!!!!!!! >:(