ImageWriter II

Apple's color-capable successor to the original ImageWriter dot-matrix printer, announced in September 1985 as part of the Apple September 1985 Announcement. The ImageWriter II added near-letter-quality (NLQ) output, color ribbon support, an optional sheet feeder, and an expansion-card slot for AppleTalk and other accessories.

Pi coverage

• 1985-10 — V07 N10 — "New Apple Product Releases" by Adrien Youell introduces the ImageWriter II
• Recurring through later 1985+ — Pi members heavily used the IW II
• 1986-10 — V08 N10 — Apple IIGS launch year — the IW II becomes the canonical IIGS companion printer
• "Custom Characters Into the IW" (Chester H. Page, 1985-10 — V07 N10) — IW programming hooks
• "I Speak Spanish to my IW" (Richard Rowell, 1985-11 — V07 N11) — international character sets

Significance

The ImageWriter II became the canonical color-capable Apple II / Mac printer for the rest of the 1980s. It would be Apple's last in-house dot-matrix design before the company committed to laser and inkjet.

Connections

• Predecessor: ImageWriter (original 1984)
• Successor: StyleWriter (1991, inkjet)
• Concurrent: LaserWriter (laser; high-end Mac Office product)