Newton MessagePad Sales Exceed 50,000
CUPERTINO, Calif. — September 30, 1993 — Apple Computer Inc. (NASDAQ-NMS: AAPL) today announced that 50,000 Newton MessagePad communications assistants have been sold in the U.S. and in Europe. The MessagePad is one of the fastest selling products that Apple has ever introduced. This strong initial sales success in the early weeks underscores widespread customer and industry enthusiasm for the product.
The Newton MessagePad is a handheld communications assistant that allows people to gather, manage, and share information with tremendous ease and spontaneity through the many communications methods available to people today. The MessagePad was launched on Aug. 2, 1993, at the MacWorld Expo in Boston and was piloted in the Boston and New York areas during August. It shipped nationwide on Labor Day, and was introduced in the United Kingdom on Sept. 16, 1993, at the Live '93 Consumer Electronics Show in London.
"The Newton MessagePad has hit the ground running. The sales figures indicate that the market is ready for innovative technology and for this new product category that the MessagePad represents," said Gaston Bastiaens, vice president and general manager of Apple's Personal Interactive Electronics (PIE) division.
Computer retailers nationwide are confirming customers' enthusiasm for the MessagePad and its accessories. "Newton is one of the fastest selling new products in our history, and customer satisfaction is very high. People are interested in coming back for accessories and software. We are seeing a lot of non-computer buyers purchasing Newton," said Larry Reich, Macintosh division manager of J&R Computer World.
"The Newton MessagePad is definitely the best product in this new PDA category. Since its introduction, sales of the MessagePad have exceeded our expectations. Not only is the recognition architecture superior to that of other products we have seen, but also the unit is much more convenient to carry around," said Tom Jacobs, president of Computer Town. "We view the MessagePad as a real opportunity for everyone."
"There is great excitement level from our sales staff. We are very pleased with sales and we are placing orders for more product to support our demand. The Newton MessagePad is really the first product in the new PDA/mobile communications category, and we are convinced that this product will change the way we communicate with each other," said Anne Fleagle, senior buyer for home office products, Best Buy Co.
"Micro Center is seeing strong customer interest in the Newton. We are very pleased with our initial sales of the MessagePad and its accessories," Jack McPeek, Macintosh merchandising manager for Micro Center Inc., said. "We do anticipate good sales through the fourth quarter, especially as additional applications become available."
Licensees and Partners
Industry support for the Newton platform continues to gain momentum. At the recent UK launch of the Newton MessagePad, licensees and partners, which include Alcatel, British Telecom, Deutsche Telekom and GEC Plessey Semiconductors announced their support of the Newton platform. These companies join Ameritech, ARM, Bell South, Cirrus Logic, LSI Logic, Matsushita Electronics, Motorola, Sharp, Siemens/Rolm and US West in the growing family of companies which have lined up behind Apple's Newton technology.
Major Corporations
The Newton MessagePad has already received notable endorsements form some major institutions and corporations. Coca-Cola, Monsanto, American Express, ProMED and others are implementing plans to incorporate Newton technologies into their information systems strategies.
Developers and Applications
In excess of 1,500 Newton development systems (NTK) have been sold throughout the world. Since the Boston introduction many developers have already announced and demonstrated applications for the Newton MessagePad. These are designed to address the user's needs in areas such as cell-based calculation, presentation, mobile communication, time and billing, expense management and sophisticated calculation.
Connectivity
The Newton Connection Kit for Macintosh, which Apple shipped earlier in September, enables information to be synchronized and updated automatically between the Macintosh and the Newton MessagePad when the two are connected. Newton developers are provided with interfaces which enable them to take advantage of the "Smart Synchronization" technology employed by the kit, allowing third party Newton applications to have full connectivity with the desktop environment. Apple intends to introduce the Newton Connection Kit for Windows in the near future.
The MessagePad is the first in a family of products based on Newton technology: others are intended to be introduced in the future by both Apple and its licensees.
NOTE: Apple, the Apple logo and Macintosh are registered trademarks, and Newton MessagePad, are trademarks of Apple Computer Inc.
CONTACT:
Emma Bufton of Regis McKenna Inc., 408-974-1856, for Apple Computer