iOS 4.2 Beta 1 Released to Developers with AirPrint, AirPlay

Looks like iOS 4.2 Beta 1 has just been released to iPhone Developers. This new beta includes AirPrint and AirPlay, two much anticipated features for iOS devices such as the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch.

Apple PR Announces AirPrint Feature Coming Soon

Apple also released a statement revealing what AirPrint will bring to consumers:

AirPrint automatically finds printers on local networks and can print text, photos and graphics to them wirelessly over Wi-Fi without the need to install drivers or download software. HP’s existing and upcoming ePrint enabled printers will be the first to support printing direct from iOS devices.

“AirPrint is Apple’s powerful new printing architecture that matches the simplicity of iOS—no set up, no configuration, no printer drivers and no software to download,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. “iPad, iPhone and iPod touch users can simply tap to print their documents or photos wirelessly to an HP ePrint printer or to a printer shared on a Mac or PC.”

This will be a welcome feature to all users, especially those workhorses on their iPads. iOS 4.2 is slated to be released in November, which many iPad users including myself have been anticipating forever. Expect new ‘features’ to be discovered as iOS 4.2 beta 1 hits more developers.

[Apple, image via TUAW]

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