- Microsoft Works introduced for Macintosh.[7]
1986 January
Macintosh Plus and LaserWriter Plus introduced.[12]
John Sculley leaves PepsiCo and becomes Chairman of Apple.[12]
Apple and Jobs reach out-of-court settlement.[12]
Applied Engineering introduces the Transwarp accelerator for the Apple II.[9]
Mac System 3.0, Finder 5.1 (System Software 0.7) released. This version introduced further speed increases, but more importantly replaced the Macintosh Filing System (MFS) with the Hierarchical Filing System (HFS) to better support nested folders (subdirectories), a necessity for the new Apple HD20 hard drive.[136]
1986 February
Jobs sells all but one share of his Apple stock, leaving Mike Markkula as the largest shareholder.[12]
1986 March
Central Point Software introduces the Laser 128 computer ($395). It is similar to the Apple IIc, but includes a single expansion slot and a numeric keypad.[54]
1986 June
Mac System 3.2, Finder 5.3 (System Software 1.1) released, primarily fixing bugs, and updating the Chooser and the Calculator desk accessory.[136]
1986 September
Apple IIGS and Apple 3.5 Drive introduced ($999).[12], [55]
Apple IIc Memory Expansion version introduced, with IIc Memory Expansion card. Apple IIe 128K price reduced.[56]
Apple II SCSI controller card and Apple Hard Disk 20SC introduced.[57]
Apple RGB Monitor ($499), Apple Monochrome Monitor ($129), and AppleColor Composite Monitor ($379) introduced.[57]
ProDOS 16 v1.0 introduced; original ProDOS becomes ProDOS 8 v1.2.[19]
Apple Programmer's and Developer's Association (APDA) created.[58]
1986 November
Penguin Software, a pioneer in removal of copy protection, changes its name to Polarware (Penguin Books objected to the use of the name).[59]
1986 December
ProDOS 16 v1.1[60]
- Commodore introduces Amiga 2000 and 500 models.[7]
1987 January
ProDOS 8 v1.3
Platinum Apple IIe with built-in keypad introduced ($829).[9]
Mac System 3.3, Finder 5.4 (System Software 2.0) released, introducing AppleShare networking software to the Mac operating system.[136]
1987 February
Apple II SCSI Card revision B released (fixes problems encountered when trying to use the card on the IIGS).[61]
1987 March
Macintosh SE and Macintosh II introduced.[9]
1987 April
ProDOS 8 v1.4
IBM PS/2 line introduced, with the first version of their OS/2 operating system.[34]
Microsoft Windows 2.0 released.[134]
Mac System 4.1, Finder 5.5 (System Software 2.01) released, adapting the Mac to be better able to use hard drives larger than 32 meg in size, and including other features to support the new Macintosh II.[136]
1987 May
Apple IIGS System Software v2.0 [60]
1987 June
Pecan Software releases FORTRAN for the Apple IIGS.[62]
1987 July
Claris, a software company spun-off from Apple, is announced. It will handle AppleWorks and Macintosh software previously sold by Apple.[9]
1987 September
Apple IIGS ROM 01 upgrade.[63]
The Apple II Review changes its name to The Apple IIGS Buyer's Guide.
1987 October
Beagle Bros introduces the TimeOut series of enhancements for AppleWorks.[64]
Mac System 4.2, Finder 6.0 (System Software 5.0) released, supporting the new color Macintosh models, adding the MultiFinder (allowing switching between running applications), and background printing with the LaserWriter printer.[136]
1987 November
Applied Engineering introduces the PC Transporter.[9]
1987 December
Apple IIGS System Software v3.1 released. It is the first version with the Finder.[60]
BASIC.SYSTEM v1.2
II Computing ceases publication.
- Intel introduces the 386SX processor.[7]
- Memory chips are in short supply, and therefore quite expensive.[7]
- dBASE IV introduced.[7]
- A "worm" is accidentally released into the ARPANet computer network, and causes significant problems at six thousand sites across the country.[7]
1988 January
Apple IIc Revised Memory Expansion version released.[65]
Apple's LaserWriter II family introduced.[9]
Timeworks introduces Publish-It!, the first serious desktop publishing program for the Apple II.[9]
1988 March
AppleCD SC (CD-ROM drive, $1199) introduced for both the Macintosh and Apple II. Also introduced were the Apple II SCSI Card Rev C (supporting partitioning on large capacity disk drives), and the Apple II Workstation Card ($249) to allow the Apple IIe to connect to AppleTalk.[9], [66]
Tom Weishaar (Open-Apple) begins as manager of the Apple II Roundtables on the GEnie online service.[67]
1988 April
ProDOS 8 v1.5
1988 May
AppleLink-Personal Edition introduced (later to become America Online ).[9]
Apple Assembly Line ceases publication.[21]
Zip Technologies introduces the Zip Chip at AppleFest. It is a 4 MHz accelerator on a single chip.[68]
1988 June
ProDOS 8 v1.6
Mac System 6.0 released, featuring improvements to the MultiFinder and LaserWriter drivers, and support for the SuperDrive.[136],[137]
1988 July
Apple IIGS System Software v3.2; it is the first version that can boot over an AppleTalk network.[60], [69]
1988 August
ProDOS 8 v1.7
1988 September
Apple IIGS System Software v4.0 introduced. It is the first version to be called GS/OS, and is written entirely in 16-bit code.[70]
Apple IIc Plus introduced ($675, or $1099 with color monitor).[9]
Macintosh IIx and FDHD (SuperDrive) introduced.[9]
Zip Chip finally available for shipment.
1988 October
Claris, having bought the rights to StyleWare's program GS-Works, modifies and releases it as AppleWorks GS.[9]
1988 November
Applied Engineering introduces the Transwarp GS accelerator.[9]
1988 December
A.P.P.L.E. (Apple Pugetsound Program Library Exchange) changes it official name to TechAlliance; among other reasons is Apple Computer's dislike of other companies using "their" name.[71]
Open-Apple changes its name to A2-Central for similar reasons.[72]
Apple Computer purchases the Apple Programmers and Developers Association (APDA) from A.P.P.L.E. Co-op.[72]
Steve Jobs announces the NeXT computer.[9]
- GRiD Systems announces the GRiDPad, a handwriting-recognizing pad.[7]
1989 March
At CERN ("Centre European pour la Recherche Nucleaire", or European Laboratory for Particle Physics) in Geneva, Switzerland, Tim Berners-Lee submits a paper "Information Management: A Proposal", which forms the theoretical basis for the function of hypertext links on the Internet.[104]
Mac System 6.0.3 released, the first stable version of System 6.[137]
1989 April
Apple II Video Overlay Card introduced.[9]
1989 May
Roger Wagner Publishing releases HyperStudio, the first Apple IIGS hypermedia product.[9]
A+ Magazine ceases publication, merges with inCider to become inCider/A+.[31]
1989 June
ProDOS 8 v1.8
BASIC.SYSTEM v1.3 (It was a buggy version, however, that had to be soon replaced).
Claris announces AppleWorks 3.0.[9]
1989 July
First A2-Central Developer's Conference.
Apple IIGS System Software v5.0 released.[60]
1989 August
Apple IIGS ROM 03 introduced.[9]
BASIC.SYSTEM v1.4
1989 September
Call-A.P.P.L.E. ceases publication.[73]
Macintosh Portable and Macintosh IIci introduced.[9]
Softdisk GS begins publication.
1989 December
Apple IIGS System Software v5.0.2 released.[74]