it would be nice to have something more stylish to sit next to the imac on a desk, i think they would do really well. My school has three old laser jets and man, those things are tanks! still pumping out good ol' black and white laser goodness.
I don't think they could be price comeptitive with pro photo printers like the ones from Epson. Like everything else Apple makes, they'd cost a premium but it's very doubtful they'd be any better in terms of their performance. If you're thinking SOHO printers, that market is beyond saturated.
well I was just asking, who ever said that it was bad to ask a question. By making a comment like will cows ever fly really does not prove anything. If you think that that question is too openened then I could restate it as, "Is there a market for Apple to re-enter the printer market." My school also has a bunch of old Apple Printers and although they are really slow they are still printing today. Most of the HP printers from that time have bit the bullet. Ahhh, oh well.
Apple didn't really make their own printers. They were just rebranded printers from other companies.
For example, the Color Stylewriter 4500 was nothing more than the HP 660c with an Apple logo (it even had the HP branded power supply).
With margins being so low in the printer market, it doesn't make sense to offer an Apple branded device. If Apple was to be like Dell and actually manufacture their own printers, it would be different. But since we're talking about more rebranding (since it would be all that Apple would do), I don't see it any time in the future.
While Apple's printers may have been rebadged printers from Canon, HP, etc., they certainly did something different. Just as with other periherals, I've gone through 3 or 4 of the latest greatest third party hardware while the original Apple hardware is contentedly chugging along in the background, working just as well as it did the day it came out of the box.
Not all apple printers were re-branded items. Their laser printers were some of the first in the industry and many of them are still printing. Inkjet stuff? Yes, it's all re-branded stuff. My original Stylewriter used Canon ink cartridges. To show the longevity of Apple products: where I go to school, the one office has a Quadra 650 with a Laserwriter IINT hooked up to it... both still going!
there is only one thing keeping apple out of the printer market. If anyone thinks about it they will know why. Anyone in office or computer retail should know right away. moogs is close tho.
<strong>Will cows ever be able to fly?</strong><hr></blockquote>
Haven't you ever seen the movie Rat Race I think it is <img src="graemlins/lol.gif" border="0" alt="[Laughing]" />
As for on topic I really wouldn't expect Apple to bother rebranding printers and trying to sell them. They make some money reselling the printers that other companies make and they don't really need to do more. The margins are too low on printers these days to be of a great deal of interest when it comes to entering the market as another producer though.
Those Apple printers still kick major ass. We're running old 16/600 and Color LW and they print ANYTHING. Unlike our newer Lexmarks printers that have problems with .pdf on and on. I've been working with Lexmark support over 2 years, no fix as of now. The old Apple printers may be slower in comparison to a newer printer but they still offer the best experience ever.
As much as I'd like Apple to make printers again as much I doubt they will do. Sad, but not likely.
One of the great things about Apple laser printers is that they were one of the few lines to have true, native PostScript printing. Most other companines, like HP, use a PS emulator.
I like the old printers and all, but with canon and epson making really good ones lately, and even making ones that cater to little "overall design" of mac's I really don't think its gonna happen, unless some new dye-sub whatever you call it comes out thats awesome, cheap, and apple.
I got a Laserwriter 4/600 from 1995 or 1996, it's up to page 28,000 and we just got a new laser cartridge in today...boy..they are getting hard to find!!!
2) If it did happen, it'd be one of the high end laser printers. The whole zero config/true postscript/color calibration/network printer sort of thing.
Comments
Jet
I don't think they could be price comeptitive with pro photo printers like the ones from Epson. Like everything else Apple makes, they'd cost a premium but it's very doubtful they'd be any better in terms of their performance. If you're thinking SOHO printers, that market is beyond saturated.
For example, the Color Stylewriter 4500 was nothing more than the HP 660c with an Apple logo (it even had the HP branded power supply).
With margins being so low in the printer market, it doesn't make sense to offer an Apple branded device. If Apple was to be like Dell and actually manufacture their own printers, it would be different. But since we're talking about more rebranding (since it would be all that Apple would do), I don't see it any time in the future.
Lets get some faster Powermacs out first.
Matthew
<strong>My Stylewriter II has outlasted three HP's and two Epsons, so Apple has my support on the printer front.</strong><hr></blockquote>
I Tell you what I can agree with you on that one! I remeber those printers kicked ass years back, I still see em being used!
<strong>Will cows ever be able to fly?</strong><hr></blockquote>
Haven't you ever seen the movie Rat Race I think it is <img src="graemlins/lol.gif" border="0" alt="[Laughing]" />
As for on topic I really wouldn't expect Apple to bother rebranding printers and trying to sell them. They make some money reselling the printers that other companies make and they don't really need to do more. The margins are too low on printers these days to be of a great deal of interest when it comes to entering the market as another producer though.
As much as I'd like Apple to make printers again as much I doubt they will do. Sad, but not likely.
<strong>Haven't you ever seen the movie Rat Race I think it is <img src="graemlins/lol.gif" border="0" alt="[Laughing]" /> </strong><hr></blockquote>
Ewww. Very bad movie, with a few amusing bits. probably wouldn't have watched it if a friend wasn't in it.....
Sorry, all...off topic, I know.
Craig
2) If it did happen, it'd be one of the high end laser printers. The whole zero config/true postscript/color calibration/network printer sort of thing.
Native PDF also.
XPrint