Apple Computer Inc’s Japanese subsidiary last Monday announced its achievements for the past financial year in Japan and added some new Macintosh models – although as Apple was quick to point out, only those models that are suitable for the Japanese market, and that did not include the Performa model announced in the US. Last year Apple sold 180,000 units in Japan, claiming 7% to 8% of the total Japanese personal computer market in terms of sales on a calendar year basis. Around 60% of sales were to corporate users. Japanese system applications expanded to over 800 packages and developers to 774 companies. Apple, coming from behind in Japan, has adopted various slogans over the years which represent its aims – two years ago it was reach more people as personified by the I want to be a kid again advertising slogan; in 1991-92 it was more power – or an increasing emphasis on business-orientation. This year it is new business style, new lifestyle. Apple announced its IIvi and IIvx series of mid-range machines, along with new Powerbooks, the 160 and 180 with a 1.5 times performance improvement over the 140 and 170; and the Duo team of thin Powerbook with slot-in desktop unit. In addition a major announcement was KanjiTalk 7, the new Japanese System 7 operating system, with a Japanisation algorithm that according to an Apple support representative at the announcement was challenged as being too good by Just Systems Ltd, the Japanese software company that invented Japanese language word processing from a QWERTY keyboard. Apple obligingly removed some features in response!
