Scanner · The Beige Era · 1988

Apple Scanner

The Apple Scanner helped desktop publishers pull images into the Mac workflow, completing the scan-layout-print loop.

Apple Scanner (1988), Scanner by Apple

Apple Scanner: key facts

When was the Apple Scanner released?

The Apple Scanner was released in 1988. Apple discontinued it in 1991.

How much did the Apple Scanner cost?

The Apple Scanner launched at $1,599 in 1988 — about $4,309 in today’s money (approximate, US CPI).

What are the Apple Scanner’s specs?

The Apple Scanner used a N/A, with None of memory. It ran Driver / firmware support.

Why does the Apple Scanner matter?

Apple’s first flatbed scanner.

Full specifications

CPUN/A
Cores
Memory (RAM)None
Storage
DisplayNone
GPUN/A
PortsSCSI
WeightVaries by model
DimensionsFlatbed scanner
Operating systemDriver / firmware support
Released1988
Discontinued1991
Launch price$1,599

How the Apple Scanner compares to today

Launched at $1,599 in 1988 — about $4,309 in today’s money (approx., US CPI).

Cross-architecture speed figures are clock-only and approximate; inflation figures use US CPI.

Did you know?

It is the kind of model collectors use to map Apple’s complicated family tree.

Related Scanner models

Open the Apple Scanner in the interactive archive →

Last updated: 2026-06-27