Apple Computer Inc yesterday finally announced that it had granted Motorola Inc a comprehensive Mac OS licence under which the latter is allowed to license and sub-license the software to other computer manufacturers to which it sells motherboards or complete computer systems on an OEM basis. New Apple chief executive Gilbert Amelio said on a conference call that the pact represents the beginning of a second phase of Apple’s licensing programme: to be more aggressive in gaining licensees. Joseph Guglielmi, newly-appointed general manger of Motorola’s Computer Products Group, said Motorola is in active talks with several potential licensees, but he declined to be more specific. Motorola is the largest company so far to license Mac OS, but tbe company has a very poor record in computers, and despite the hiring of Guglielmi to head the business and give it a higher profile, little seems to have changed so far, although the company looks for big things from its technology and shareholding alliance with the French company Compagnie des Machines Bull SA.
