Google has rolled out a number of updates to its Cloud Print product, most notably bringing the service to Windows machines.

Previously only available on Google’s laptop operating system Chrome, Cloud Print allows users to print from any device to any cloud printer to which they have access. The service’s Windows offering is twofold, with tools for consumers and IT managers. The consumer software installs a virtual printer on a user’s machine, which then allows them to print from any Google Cloud printer.

The second is Google Cloud Print Service, which enables system administrators to connect existing printers to Cloud Print. Running in the background on machines using Windows XP, Vista or 7, the software is still in beta as Google continues to develop the service.

Google has also brought the offering to Android, with an app in the Google Play Store giving mobile devices access to Cloud printers.

In addition users with a unique URL can now share printers, and administrators using this function can set how many pages a particular user is allowed to print.

Cloud Print was first introduced in 2011 with a simple browser plug-in for Chrome, but it now works with cloud-ready printers, which connect directly to the internet without needing a PC to be connected and switched on. 

Elsewhere, Google has seen its staple advertising business take a slight hit, as the amount it receives from advertisers for its services per click has dropped by six percent. Google’s share prices fell as a result despite the search giant making a profit of $3.23bn.