Apple Licenses the Mac OS to Motorola, Expands Licensing Opportunities

Hong Kong -- February 19, 1996 -- In line with its commitment to open licensing , Apple Computer, Inc. today announced that it has licensed the Mac OS operating system to Motorola, in a broad licensing agreement which for the first time allows a licensee to sublicense the Mac OS to other manufacturers.

The agreement allows Motorola to distribute the Mac OS with computer systems it will build based on the current Power Macintosh hardware architecture, as well as on the PowerPC Platform specification.

Motorola will also be able to sublicense the Mac OS to other computer manufacturers to whom it sells Mac OS-compatible motherboards or computer systems. Apple expects that Motorola will further grow the Mac OS platform by enabling, for the first time, other manufacturers who buy boards or systems from Motorola to sell Mac OS-compatible systems without the requirement of signing a licensing agreement directly with Apple. However, Apple will continue to certify all systems sold with the Mac OS to ensure customers of complete compatibility.

"We believe that Motorola, a key player in this industry, has the resources and technical strengths, especially in the communication area, to help enrich the Mac platform and to expand its benefits to new markets and new customers," said Dr. Gil Amelio, chairman and CEO, Apple Computer, Inc. "This agreement is a major milestone in our licensing program, and is a clear demonstration of our commitment to open licensing."

"We are very excited to join Apple in promoting the growth of the Mac OS platform," said Joe Guglielmi, corporate vice president and general manager, Motorola Computer Group. "We believe the Mac OS platform will add a significant element to our current enterprise market strategy as well as complement our plan to support PowerPC-based multiple operating solutions to the market. The sublicensing agreement will enable MCG to provide best-of-class systems and motherboards along with the Mac OS to its OEM partners."

This agreement will benefit computer customers by providing them additional sources for Mac OS-based systems, and a broader range of feature-set, price, support, and distribution choices. It also provides the Mac OS software developer community with an exciting business proposition for existing as well as for new markets.

"The expansion of the Mac OS platform made possible by this licensing agreement and by Motorola÷s sublicensing rights for the Mac OS should instill added confidence in the future of the Mac OS platform" said Lamar Potts, vice president OS & Technology Licensing, Apple Computer, Inc. "It should also encourage the development of a broader choice of innovative solutions that will benefit all customers of the Mac OS platform."

The licensing agreement applies to versions 7.5.x of the Mac OS, and includes access to the next major release of the Mac OS, and applies to the 16 local language versions of the Mac OS that Apple has so far approved for licensing (US English, UK English, Italian, German, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Dutch, Korean, Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, and Japanese).

This licensing agreement is another step in Apple's transition to a broadly open licensing model. Since it first announced its intention to license the Mac OS in September 1994, Apple has committed itself to creating a successful business opportunity for its licensees and has followed a two-phase strategy. In the first phase, Apple has focused its efforts on a relatively small number of licensees, in order to provide them with the level of technical support they needed to successfully implement Apple's proprietary hardware design.

Apple is now moving into the second phase of its licensing strategy, made possible by the agreement on the PowerPC Platform specification. This open hardware architecture based on the powerful PowerPC RISC microprocessor allows an open, flexible licensing model. (The PowerPC Platform is a set of specifications that defines a unified personal computer architecture and brings the combined advantages of the Power Macintosh platform and the standard PC environment to both system vendors and users).

Today's announcement follows the joint announcement by Apple, IBM and Motorola of the availability of the PowerPC Platform specification last November, and the successful public demonstration in January of the Mac OS running on a prototype system built to this specification. It is another strong sign of the industry momentum and the unique technological potential of the PowerPC microprocessor, jointly designed by the Apple, IBM, and Motorola alliance.

Apple Computer, Inc., a recognized innovator in the information industry and leader in multimedia technologies, creates powerful solutions based on easy-to-use personal computers, servers, peripherals, software, online services, and personal digital assistants. Headquartered in Cupertino, California, Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) develops, manufactures, licenses and markets solutions, products, technologies and services for business, education, consumer, entertainment, scientific & engineering and government customers in over 140 countries.

Apple's home page: http://www.apple.com

© Apple Computer, Inc. Apple, the Apple logo, and Power Macintosh are registered trademarks, and Mac and Mac OS are trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc. PowerPC is a trademark of the International Business Machines Corporation, used under license therefrom. All other brand names mentioned are registered trademarks or trademarks of their respective holders, and are hereby acknowledged.

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