CUPERTINO, Calif.--Dec. 20, 1996--Apple Computer, Inc. today
announced its intention to purchase NeXT Software Inc., in a friendly
acquisition for $400 million. Pending regulatory approvals, all NeXT
products, services, and technology research will become part of
Apple Computer, Inc. As part of the agreement, Steve Jobs, Chairman
and CEO of NeXT Software, will return to Apple--the company he
co-founded in 1976--reporting to Dr. Gilbert F. Amelio, Apple's
Chairman and CEO.
Gilbert Amelio:
"The acquisition of NeXT is the start of a new chapter in Apple's
history and represents a milestone in our transformation as a
corporation," said Dr. Gilbert F. Amelio, Chairman and CEO, Apple
Computer Inc. "Today Apple welcomed back its most talented
visionary--Steve Jobs, someone who can inspire a new generation of
customers and software developers and show that Apple remains the
industry home for innovation and excitement. Today Apple returns,
as an open player to the mainstream and the heart of this industry,
where our technology can once more set standards for innovation and
excellence."
Steve Jobs:
"Much of the industry has lived off the Macintosh for over ten years
now, slowly copying the Mac's revolutionary user interface,"
said Steven P. Jobs. "Now the time has come for new innovation,
and where better than Apple for this to spring from? Who else
has consistently led this industry -- first with the Apple II, then the
Macintosh and LaserWriter? With this merger, the advanced software
from NeXT will be married with Apple's very high-volume hardware
platforms and marketing channels to create another breakthrough,
leapfrogging existing platforms, and fueling Apple and the
industry copy cats for the next ten years and beyond. I still have
very deep feelings for Apple, and it gives me great joy to play a role
in architecting Apple's future."
John Warnock:
"This partnership is the best possible fit. Both companies support
strong, open industry standards. Combined with their rich media focus
and a command of the Internet, these strengths will play well into
Adobe's core markets," says John Warnock, Chairman and CEO,
Adobe Systems, Inc. "NeXT's advanced operating system design,
when combined with Apple's leadership in ease-of-use and multimedia,
will provide Adobe and other developers with a robust, compelling
platform on which to build great next-generation software solutions."
<snip>
... the momentum of Java, Sun Microsystems' platform-independent
programming language, has led Apple to conclude that by
implementing a Java architecture across its platforms and development
tools portfolio, Apple systems will be at the forefront
of Internet/Intranet design--an area of enormous potential growth
through the millennium.
Apple's exhaustive research in operating system design(!!!) led the
company to conclude that NEXTSTEP's maturity, networking,
customer and developer acceptance(!!!!!), multi-tasking, protected
memory, and scalability from portable to server-level products make it
the clear choice for integration into the next major revision of Mac OS.
Apple believes that the integration of NEXTSTEP technology in
future versions of Mac OS will result in a robust, next generation OS
that provides customers and developers with a multimedia-rich and
Internet-savvy platform.
Apple Chairman and CEO Dr. Gilbert F. Amelio, Chief Technology
Officer Ellen Hancock, and Steve Jobs will announce details of
how Apple will incorporate NeXT technology into future releases of
Mac OS at MacWorld San Francisco in January.