Apple Computer Unveils Macintosh Plus, Other Products

Dow Jones News Service

January 16, 1986

SAN FRANCISCO -DJ- APPLE COMPUTER INC. ANNOUNCED NEW MODELS OF PRODUCTS AND WHAT IT REFERRED TO AS NEW STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS FOR 1986 AT APPLEWORLD A MEETING OF DEALERS SOFTWARE DEVELOPERS AND CUSTOMER GROUPS HELD HERE.

APPLE SHOWED A NEW MODEL OF ITS MACINTOSH COMPUTER PRODUCT LINE THE MACINTOSH PLUS AS WELL AS A NEW LASER PRINTER MODEL LASERWRITER PLUS.

APPLE SAID THE MACINTOSH PLUS IS A POWERFUL PERSONAL COMPUTER WITH MORE SPEED MEMORY STORAGE AND EXPANDABILITY THAN PRECEDING MACINTOSH MODELS. AVAILABLE BY LATE JANUARY THE NEW COMPUTER HAS A SUGGESTED RETAIL PRICE OF $2 599 APPLE SAID.

APPLE ALSO ANNOUNCED A REDUCTION IN THE PRICE TO $1 999 OF ITS EXISTING MACINTOSH 512K MODEL WHICH IS UPGRADABLE TO MACINTOSH PLUS SPECIFICATIONS WITH UPGRADE KITS INSTALLED BY APPLE DEALERS. APPLE SAID THE MACINTOSH 512K MODEL WILL CONTINUE TO BE AVAILABLE AS PART OF APPLE'S PRODUCT LINE STRATEGY FOR MACINTOSH.

APPLE SAID IT ALSO IS MAKING A ONE-TIME OPPORTUNITY TO TRADE IN LISA AND MACINTOSH XL PERSONAL COMPUTERS FOR A MACINTOSH PLUS AND HARD DISK 20 FOR $1 498.

APPLE SAID THE NEW LASERWRITER PLUS IS AN ENHANCED VERSION OF APPLE'S LASERWRITER A HIGH-PERFORMANCE HIGH-RESOLUTION PRINTER CAPABLE OF CREATING TYPESET-QUALITY PRINTING AND COMPLEX GRAPHICS. THE NEW PRINTER SUPPLIES A WIDER RANGE OF NEEDS BECAUSE IT PRODUCES MORE OF THE TYPESTYLES FAVORED BY GRAPHICS AND BUSINESS PROFESSIONALS APPLE SAID.

IT SAID LASERWRITER PLUS HAS A SUGGESTED RETAIL PRICE OF $6 798 AND A LASERWRITER STILL IS PRICED AT $5 999.

JOHN SCULLEY PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE SAID THE CAPABILITIES OF THE TWO APPLE PRODUCTS MADE POSSIBLE THE CREATION IN 1985 OF A NEW MARKET DESKTOP PUBLISHING WHICH IS EXPECTED TO TOP $1 BILLION IN SALES BY 1990.

APPLE ALSO ANNOUNCED PLANS FOR THE FOLLOWING SPECIFIC ACTIVITIES:

-- STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP WITH NORTHERN TELECOM A SUPPLIER OF PBX -PRIVATE BRANCH EXCHANGE- EQUIPMENT. APPLE SAID THE TWO COMPANIES HAVE AGREED TO PROVIDE METHODS TO CONNECT MACINTOSH PERSONAL COMPUTERS VIA STANDARD TELEPHONE LINES THAT ARE PART OF NORTHERN TELECOM MERIDIEN PBX SYSTEMS.

-- APPLE ALSO SAID IT IS WORKING WITH MCI COMMUNICATIONS CORP. AND DOW JONES & CO. TO INITIATE THE JOINT DEVELOPMENT OF FUTURE BUSINESS INFORMATION AND ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION SERVICES USING MACINTOSH.

-- GENERAL ELECTRIC INFORMATION SERVICES CO. IS MARKETING A PRODUCT THAT PROVIDES A RANGE OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS FACILITIES BY CONNECTING MACINTOSHES TO A MAINFRAME COMPUTER AT A REMOTE LOCATION. A KEY ADVANTAGE OF THE PRODUCT IS ITS ABILITY TO UTILIZE THE USER-FRIENDLY MACINTOSH INTERFACE WHILE ACCESSING INFORMATION RESIDENT IN THE MAINFRAME APPLE SAID.

SCULLEY ALSO ANNOUNCED TWO MAJOR SALES OF MACINTOSH COMPUTERS BOTH TO 'BIG EIGHT' ACCOUNTING FIRMS.

ARTHUR YOUNG & CO. WILL PURCHASE MACINTOSH PLUS COMPUTERS AND WILL STANDARDIZE ON THAT MODEL FOR ITS LARGE FIELD AUDIT FORCE. THE COMPANY HAS CREATED SOFTWARE CALLED ARTHUR YOUNG-ASQ TO HELP IMPLEMENT A 'PAPERLESS AUDIT' CONCEPT.

PEAT MARWICK WHICH STANDARDIZED ON MACINTOSH IN 1984 SAID IT WOULD UPGRADE ALL 5 500 MACINTOSH COMPUTERS IT OWNS. THE PERFORMANCE OF ITS MACHINES WILL THEN BE EQUAL TO THAT OF MACINTOSH PLUS APPLE ADDED.