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ISO Adopts QuickTime File Format as Starting Point for
Developing Key Component of MPEG-4 Specification
Industry Leaders Collaborate on Next Generation Multimedia Standard
CUPERTINO, Calif., Feb. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Apple Computer Inc. (Nasdaq: AAPL -
news), IBM (NYSE: IBM - news), Netscape Corp. (Nasdaq: NSCP - news), Oracle Corp.
(Nasdaq: ORCL - news), Silicon Graphics Inc. (NYSE: SGI - news) and Sun Microsystems Inc.
(Nasdaq: SUNW - news) today announced that the International Standards Organization (ISO)
has adopted the companies' joint proposal to use Apple's QuickTime File Format as the starting
point for the development of a unified digital media storage format for the MPEG-4 specification.
The six companies now look forward to collaborating with other companies and industry bodies
to further refine the specification and QuickTime file format -- ensuring that MPEG-4 quickly
gains market acceptance.
''MPEG's decision to utilize the QuickTime file format for the MPEG-4 specification has huge
benefits for users and the industry'', said Ralph Rogers, Principal Analyst for Multimedia at
Dataquest, San Jose. ''This strategy will leverage the broad adoption of QuickTime in the
professional media space, speed the creation of MPEG-4 tools and content while providing a
common target for industry adoption.''
About MPEG
MPEG-2 is the standard for entertainment quality video and audio and is the format of choice for
DVD (Digital Versatile Disc) and DVB (Digital Video Broadcasting). MPEG-4 is an emerging
digital media standard currently being defined by ISO's Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG)
that will enable users to select, view and manipulate audio, video and other forms of digital
content. By the adoption of the QuickTime file format as the starting point for an MPEG-4
standard, users are assured that all digital media content can be authored in a common file format
which also supports real-time video and audio streaming. This digital stream can then be
delivered over the Internet, corporate networks or broadcast directly into the home. By utilizing a
QuickTime-based file format, the vast majority of existing hardware, software and digital content
would work seamlessly with this next-generation version of MPEG.
About the Proposal
The six companies' co-authored the QuickTime File Format proposal in response to a Call For
Proposals issued by MPEG based on stringent technical examination against a broad range of
requirements. The companies' proposal recommended QuickTime's file format as the superior
technology choice because of its ability to stream across different network protocols, its support
for all forms of digital media and its extremely flexible capabilities as a file format. Additionally,
QuickTime's file format has a strong following among creative professionals, with a wide breadth
of available development tools and cross-platform support. The QuickTime file format is a
component of the QuickTime architecture.
NOTE: Apple, the Apple logo, Macintosh and QuickTime are registered trademarks of Apple
Computer, Inc. Additional company and product names may be trademarks or registered
trademarks of the individual companies and are respectfully acknowledged.
Addendum - MPEG Quote Sheet
Apple Computer, Inc.
''Over 50 million PCs have QuickTime installed today, making it by far the most widely adopted
multimedia standard in the world,'' said Steve Jobs, Apple Computer's Interim CEO. ''Choosing
QuickTime guarantees that the huge amount of QuickTime content being created and delivered
today can be easily retargeted to be delivered in MPEG-4 in the future.''
Apple Computer, Inc. ignited the personal computer revolution in the 1970s with the Apple II,
and reinvented the personal computer in the 1980s with the Macintosh. Apple is now
recommitted to its original mission to bring the best personal computing products and support to
students, educators, designers, scientists, engineers, businesspersons and consumers in over 140
countries around the world.
regards,
BPP(Bipin's partner) |
