ISO Adopts QuickTime File Format as Starting Point for Developing Key Component of MPEG-4 Specification

Industry Leaders Collaborate on Next Generation Multimedia Standard

CUPERTINO, California--Feb. 11, 1998--Apple Computer Inc., IBM, Netscape Corp., Oracle Corp., Silicon Graphics Inc. and Sun Microsystems Inc. today announced that the International Standards Organization (ISO) has adopted the companies' joint proposal to use Apple's QuickTime File Format as the starting point for the development of a unified digital media storage format for the MPEG-4 specification.

The six companies now look forward to collaborating with other companies and industry bodies to further refine the specification and QuickTime file format--ensuring that MPEG-4 quickly gains market acceptance.

"MPEG's decision to utilize the QuickTime file format for the MPEG-4 specification has huge benefits for users and the industry", said Ralph Rogers, Principal Analyst for Multimedia at Dataquest, San Jose. "This strategy will leverage the broad adoption of QuickTime in the professional media space, speed the creation of MPEG-4 tools and content while providing a common target for industry adoption."

About MPEG

MPEG-2 is the standard for entertainment quality video and audio and is the format of choice for DVD (Digital Versatile Disc) and DVB (Digital Video Broadcasting). MPEG-4 is an emerging digital media standard currently being defined by ISO's Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG) that will enable users to select, view and manipulate audio, video and other forms of digital content. By the adoption of the QuickTime file format as the starting point for an MPEG-4 standard, users are assured that all digital media content can be authored in a common file format which also supports real-time video and audio streaming. This digital stream can then be delivered over the Internet, corporate networks or broadcast directly into the home. By utilizing a QuickTime-based file format, the vast majority of existing hardware, software and digital content would work seamlessly with this next-generation version of MPEG.

About the Proposal

The six companies' co-authored the QuickTime File Format proposal in response to a Call For Proposals issued by MPEG based on stringent technical examination against a broad range of requirements. The companies' proposal recommended QuickTime's file format as the superior technology choice because of its ability to stream across different network protocols, its support for all forms of digital media and its extremely flexible capabilities as a file format. Additionally, QuickTime's file format has a strong following among creative professionals, with a wide breadth of available development tools and cross-platform support. The QuickTime file format is a component of the QuickTime architecture.

Russell Brady
Apple Computer Inc.
(408) 974-6877
email: brady2@apple.com

Tim Blair
IBM Public Relations
(914) 766-1353
email: tblair@us.ibm.com

Kristin Harlan
Oracle Corporation
(650) 506-9364
email: kharlan@us.oracle.com

Gayle LeDoux
Silicon Graphics Inc.
(650) 933-2968
email: ledoux@corp.sgi.com

Andrew Shikiar
Sun Microsystems, JavaSoft PR
(408) 343-1831
email: andrew.shikiar@eng.sun.com

Apple, the Apple logo, Macintosh and QuickTime are registered trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc. Additional company and product names may be trademarks or registered trademarks of the individual companies and are respectfully acknowledged.

Addendum-MPEG Quote Sheet

Apple Computer, Inc.

"Over 50 million PCs have QuickTime installed today, making it by far the most widely adopted multimedia standard in the world," said Steve Jobs, Apple Computer's Interim CEO. "Choosing QuickTime guarantees that the huge amount of QuickTime content being created and delivered today can be easily retargeted to be delivered in MPEG-4 in the future."

Apple Computer, Inc. ignited the personal computer revolution in the 1970s with the Apple II, and reinvented the personal computer in the 1980s with the Macintosh. Apple is now recommitted to its original mission to bring the best personal computing products and support to students, educators, designers, scientists, engineers, businesspersons and consumers in over 140 countries around the world.

PR Contact:
Russell Brady
Apple Computer Inc.
(408) 974-6877
email: brady2@apple.com

IBM

"The acceptance of the MPEG-4 specification proposal IBM co-authored with our colleagues marks a good first step in the development of an industry standard. This standard will help ensure that users and content providers will be able to smoothly integrate the upcoming generation of digital multimedia content with existing solutions. As Internet multimedia, in particular, becomes part of our everyday experience, it is vital that we have open standards to enable all of us--consumers and business customers alike--to benefit from technology advancements that make digital content more accessible, compelling and valuable." Dr. Armando Garcia, vice president, Internet Media, IBM

IBM creates, develops and manufactures advanced information technology products and services, including computer systems, software, networking systems, storage devices and microelectronics. IBM has been a leader in the development of the Internet since this technology began and is dedicated to helping customers and developers leverage the Internet as they move to the world of e-business. Find out more about IBM via the Web at http://www.ibm.com/.

PR Contact:
Tim Blair
IBM Public Relations
(914) 766-1353
email: tblair@us.ibm.com

Oracle Corporation

"With Oracle Video Server and Oracle8, Oracle provides the engine for metropolitan-scale interactive services. What's been missing are open standards for the creation, management and delivery of those services," said Lawrence J. Ellison, Chairman and CEO, Oracle Corp. "MPEG's decision to use Quicktime as a basis for the MPEG-4 file format creates the standard that content providers need."

Oracle Corporation is the world's leading supplier of software for information management, and the world's second largest software company. With annual revenues of more than $6.3 billion, the company offers its database, application server, tools and application products, along with related consulting, education and support services, in more than 140 countries around the world. For more information about Oracle, please call 650/506-7000. Oracle's World Wide Web address is (URL) http://www.oracle.com/.

PR Contact:
Kristin Harlan
Oracle Corp.
(650) 506-9364
email: kharlan@us.oracle.com

Silicon Graphics, Inc.

"Silicon Graphics has always been a proponent of open standards and we're pleased to support QuickTime technology as the MPEG-4 standard," said Eric Carlson, vice president general manager, Advanced Media Products Division, Silicon Graphics. "Among other strategic relationships, Silicon Graphics works closely with Apple and utilizes QuickTime technology in many of its advanced media products."

Silicon Graphics, Inc. is a leading supplier of high-performance interactive computing systems. The company offers the broadest range of products in the industry - from low-end desktop workstations to servers and high-end Cray supercomputers. Silicon Graphics also markets MIPS microprocessor designs, Alias|Wavefront entertainment and design software and other software products. The company's key markets include manufacturing, government, science and industries, communications and entertainment sectors. Silicon Graphics and its subsidiaries have offices throughout the world and headquarters in Mountain View, Calif.

PR Contact:
Gayle Ledoux
Silicon Graphics Inc.
(650) 933-2968
email: ledoux@corp.sgi.com

Sun Microsystems

"Sun has enjoyed working with this group of valued industry partners and is very excited to see that MPEG has adopted the QuickTime File Format as the basis for the future of media and video streaming," said Jon Kannegaard, vice president of software products at Sun Microsystems JavaSoft division. "We plan on supporting MPEG-4 in future versions of our Java Media Framework and look forward to seeing it be an open standard that developers throughout the industry can depend on."

Since its inception in 1982, a singular vision, "The Network Is The Computer" has propelled Sun Microsystems, Inc. (NASDAQ "SUNW") to its position as a leading provider of hardware, software and services for establishing enterprise-wide intranets and expanding the power of the Internet. With more than $9 billion in annual revenues, Sun can be found in more than 150 countries and on the World Wide Web at http://sun.com/.

PR Contact:
Andrew Shikiar
Sun Microsystems, JavaSoft PR
(408) 343-1831
email: andrew.shikiar@eng.sun.com

Analyst Quotes

"QuickTime is the de facto standard for digital media authoring and delivery. Using QuickTime, companies like CNN, Reprise Records, Cyan/Broderbund and Time Magazine enjoy using a single file format to publish their content across all distribution media -- from the Internet, to DVD to digital television," said Richard Dougherty, Director, Digital Media Research, The Envisioneering Group. "Evolving standards like MPEG-4 will quickly gain broad market acceptance by leveraging the huge amounts of QuickTime content already available - from more than 81,000 Web sites running QuickTime today - towards the multi-platform, instant publishing needs of tomorrow."

Contact Details:
Richard Dougherty
The Envisioneering Group
(516) 783-6244
email: rdoherty@envisioneering.net

Contact Details:
Ralph Rogers
Dataquest
(408) 468-8000
email: ralph.rogers@dataquest.com