Apple Introduces New Macintosh Personal Computer

Dow Jones News Service

September 10, 1984

CUPERTINO CALIF -- APPLE COMPUTER INTRODUCED A NEW MACINTOSH PERSONAL COMPUTER WITH 512 KILOBYTES OF INTERNAL MEMORY.

APPLE SAID THE NEW BUSINESS COMPUTER ENABLES USERS TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF LARGER DOCUMENTS AND MODELS FASTER RESPONSE TIME AND THE MORE THAN 40 BUSINESS PRODUCTIVITY SOFTWARE PACKAGES NOW SHIPPING.

THE LATEST ADDITION TO THE MACINTOSH PRODUCT LINE -- INTRODUCED SEVERAL MONTHS AHEAD OF SCHEDULE DUE TO THE SIGNIFICANT QUANTITIES OF 256K CHIPS NOW AVAILABLE ACCORDING TO APPLE -- OFFERS USERS ANOTHER OPTION IN CHOOSING THE MACINTOSH SYSTEM THAT BEST FITS THEIR NEEDS.

THE MACINTOSH 512K HAS A SUGGESTED RETAIL PRICE OF $3 195. IN ADDITION APPLE ALSO IS ANNOUNCING A PRICE REDUCTION AND 512K MEMORY EXPANSION FOR THE MACINTOSH 128K SYSTEM. THE MACINTOSH 128K WILL SELL FOR $2 195. THE 512K MEMORY EXPANSION KIT WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR $995.

APPLE SAID IT HOPES THE AUGMENTED MACINTOSH WILL IMPROVE ITS PENETRATION IN THE MARKET FOR PERSONAL-SIZED COMPUTERS USED IN BUSINESS. THERE IT FACES POWERFUL COMPETITION FROM INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORP.'S PERSONAL COMPUTER.

APPLE SAID A MACINTOSH VERSION OF LOTUS DEVELOPMENT CORP.'S POPULAR SPREADSHEET SOFTWARE IS EXPECTED TO COME OUT NEXT SPRING, WHICH SHOULD ADD TO THE COMPUTER'S APPEAL TO BUSINESSES.

APPLE HADN'T PLANNED TO INTRODUCE THE UPGRADED MACINTOSH UNTIL EARLY NEXT YEAR, BECAUSE OF ANTICIPATED DIFFICULTIES TO LINE UP CHIPS TO POWER IT, THE COMPANY SAID. BUT APPLE FOUND THEM AT A VARIETY OF SOURCES, PRIMARILY JAPANESE.

ANALYSTS SAID MACINTOSH SALES WERE SLUGGISH OVER THE SUMMER, IN PART BECAUSE OF THE SLENDER RANGE OF AVAILABLE SOFTWARE FOR THE MACHINE.

ONE ANALYST SUGGESTED THAT EVEN WITH THE EXPANDED MACINTOSH, APPLE WILL HAVE A TOUGH TIME PENETRATING THE LARGE BUSINESS MARKET UNTIL IT SELLS MACHINES THAT CAN BE LINKED WITHIN OFFICES.