CRN Printer Week: 10 Mobile Print Apps Worth Checking Out

Printing On The Go

As technology has become ubiquitous, so too have the people who work with it every day. That has ushered in the growth of mobile devices in the workplace and -- by extension -- their accommodation by employers.

And with a more mobile workforce comes a need to print documents from just about anywhere.

Enter the mobile print app, which allows a user with a mobile device to print a document from beyond the desktop. Major printer manufacturers such as HP Inc., Xerox and Canon have them. Then there are apps that will allow you to print to just about any printer, no matter where you are. That's a help to business travelers who need to print a document quickly. It's also a help to solution providers that partner with printer vendors and are looking to line up sales with customers that have mobile workforces, especially in sales.

As part of CRN's Printer Week 2016, here are 10 mobile print apps worth checking out.

Samsung Mobile Print App 1.03.05

Supported operating systems: Android 2.1+, iOS 3.2+

The app, which is compatible with Samsung network-capable printers, doesn't require a new driver or network configurations. Just install it, select the content you want to print, then print it wirelessly. It can also scan documents in PDF, JPG and PNG.

Xerox Mobile Print

Supported operating systems: iOS, Android, Windows 8 (tablets and laptops)

Once this multifunction printer app is on, users can just email their print jobs to just one printer, or more than one. The app works with every device that can send an email, so there’s no need to add another app to your device. A user can select ’pull print" to avoid leaving prints unattended. Also, secure PINs keep documents inside firewalls.

Canon Print Business

Supported operating systems: iOS, Android

Users can access, upload, download and print documents stored within Canon Print Business, other applications, or Dropbox and Google Drive. The app also supports integration with Apple's iCloud. The iOS version can print up to 20 photos from an album at one time.

Epson iPrint

Supported operating systems: iOS 7.0+, Android 4.0+

Both versions of the Epson app allow you to store documents in Evernote, Google Drive, Dropbox, Box.net and Microsoft SkyDrive. You can print to a network printer that's connected, or to one you can access by entering its IP address. You can also print to a device that's been set up with Epson Connect, the cloud print-and-scan service for Epson printers.

Brother iPrint& Scan

Supported operating systems: iOS, Android, Windows Phone 7 or 8

Users can print and scan to and from network-connected Brother printers from anywhere in their offices via Wi-Fi connections, Bluetooth, NFC (near field communication) and Google Cloud Print. The app will allow the user to print Web pages, emails, photos, PDFs, text documents, and from Word, Excel and PowerPoint using the device’s memory card, but will also keep confidential documents safe. The app does not support password-protected files.

Brother iPrint&Scan also allows the user to change print settings, and can even change the scale and orientation on Microsoft documents.

Dell Document Hub

Supported operating systems: Android 4.0+, iOS 7.0+, Windows 8.1+

This app can connect you to a variety of cloud services, such as Dropbox and Evernote, with a single sign-on. To ensure user privacy, data is deleted when tasks have been completed. Also, log-in details are not stored; rather, a unique token is generated, which Document Hub saves for future authentication.

HP ePrint

Supported operating systems: iOS 7.0+, Android 4.0+

HP ePrint is a secure cloud-based service that lets you print from anywhere with an active Internet connection. Just email the document or photo you want to print directly to the printer. You can print to any supported HP printer (that is, most of them) that's on the same local Wi-Fi network as the mobile device you're using. Apple iOS users can print from a cloud service.

PrinterOn (Samsung Subsidiary)

Supported operating systems: iOS 7.0+, Android 4.0+

The PrinterOn apps don't limit you to the printers that are within the corporate network or those made only by a specific vendor. The app also contains a directory that allows you to locate a PrinterOn-enabled printer anywhere.

Breezy

Supported operating systems: iOS, Android, Blackberry

Like PrinterOn, Breezy is printer-agnostic. More specifically, the app enables Apple AirPrint for iOS devices across enterprise subnets. You can use a GPS to locate the nearest Breezy Partner Network print location. Breezy, based in Oakland, Calif., has partnered with FedEx Office and other organizations to create its GPS-powered local printing network with thousands of locations across North America.

Google Cloud Print

Supported operating systems: Android

You can print from any compatible Android device to any printer connected to Google Cloud. You can also share a picture or a document from apps such as Gallery directly to Cloud Print, and track the status of your print jobs. The app is a print plug-in on Android KitKat, and a standalone app on earlier versions of Android.

IPhone users can access Google Cloud Print by downloading PrintCentral Pro, which allows users to print using a number of services.