Apple Enters Internet Commerce Market
Web-based Club Offers One-stop Access for Software Updates
MACWORLD/EXPO, SAN FRANCISCO--Jan. 7, 1997--Apple Computer, Inc., today
announced it is entering the Internet commerce market with a new, web-based
subscription service called Apple Club. The service, which will be
initially available in the U.S., reaches out to Apple customers,
developers, and service providers with high speed access to Apple software
updates, newsletters, and services for the easiest, fastest, most
convenient way to keep Macintosh systems up-to-date.
"The Apple Club is phase one of our Internet commerce strategy for Apple
solutions and services," said Mike Dionne, senior vice president and
general manager of AppleAssist. "With the popularity of Internet services
compounding daily, we have created easy to use 'diamond lane service' to
deliver features that are valuable to our customers."
Priced at U.S. $19.95 per year, the Club offers customers a full-service
software station, which allows easy downloads of Apple's latest
performance-enhancing software updates, utilities, patches, and extensions;
and exclusive discounts on products and services. Customers can join Apple
Club online at: http://www.club.apple.com/.
Benefits of the Club include faster and more reliable access to all
standard Apple system software upgrades and enhancements, through dedicated
servers and high speed routers. Upon signing up, members receive a one-time
choice of a U.S. $34.95 CD value (choices include: The Grolier Encyclopedia
of Science Fiction (Grolier), Vegetarian Delights, Art de la Table (Arome
Publishing), or the Apple Club CD-ROM with most recent versions of all
available Apple software updates, some literature on Apple products, and
links to most popular Apple websites and part of the Technical Information
Library).
Additional benefits include a one-stop shop for free subscriptions to
popular electronic newsletters, including exclusive messages from Apple
Chairman and CEO, Dr. Gil Amelio, and optional weekly emails that notify
members of the latest versions of current software. Apple Club members
enjoy special discount offers on select products and services, starting at
20 percent on the AppleCare program, which offers an extended warranty to
customers on Apple products. Members also are automatically enrolled in
quarterly drawings for valuable Apple hardware and gifts. The first drawing
will be held April 1, 1997, where members can win a MessagePad 2000 or an
Apple T-shirt.
"We've built a dedicated infrastructure including an increase of ten times
our former bandwidth capacity, so that Club members can enjoy a faster and
easier access to Apple's software offered via downloads," said Philippe
Bouissou, director of Apple Internet Commerce & Services.
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 and engineering and
government customers in over 140 countries.
Susan Lehman
Apple Computer, Inc.
(408) 974-0182
email: lehman@apple.com
Katie Cotton
Apple Computer, Inc.
(408) 974-7269
email: katiec@apple.com
