“With the release of Windows 10 21H2, Windows offers inbox support for Mopria compliant printer devices over network and USB interfaces via the Microsoft IPP Class Driver. This removes the need for print device manufacturers to provide their own installers, drivers, utilities, and so on. Device experience customization is now available via the Print Support Apps that are distributed and automatically installed via the Windows Store,” the company wrote.
What does “Print Support App” mean? Please don’t tell me it’s like that garbage HP Smart stuff.
Consider this: would you rather have the HP crapware as a sandboxes UWP app or as a low-level kernel driver?
The Printer Support App documentation almost exclusively talks about adding configuration options to the standard Windows print dialog. I’m sure HP will enshittify their implementation, but it’s not meant to work like that
UWP isn’t sandboxing law, it’s Microsoft business policy, the sands will shift at a later date.
I’m 99% certain that’s exactly what it is.
Linux and Cups are headed in a similar direction. IPP Everywhere / AirPrint / Mopria only in cups and printer applications for old printers that emulate such a driverless printer