IBM to sublicense Mac OS to Akia corporation

Agreement gives Akia entry into Mac-compatible market

Tokyo - September 19, 1996 - IBM and Akia Corporation today announced that IBM will sublicense the Mac OS operating system to Akia. This is the first Mac OS sublicensing agreement for IBM, and is designed to advance both companies' business strategies for the Macintosh market.

IBM reached agreement with Apple Computer in May to license the Mac OS, a step the companies expect will significantly open and enhance growth of the Mac OS marketplace. This agreement allows IBM to sell PowerPC microprocessors, along with a Mac OS sublicense to any manufacturer.

Akia Corporation (Japanese only) is a personal computer marketing and merchandising company that currently sells IBM-compatible PCs, liquid crystal displays and related products to corporate users. Akia decided to enter the Mac OS market because of the growth potential of Mac-compatible PCs via direct marketing. Akia plans to develop and market PowerPC-based Mac-compatible products primarily for corporate users. Initial products are expected by the end of the year.