Apple Computer Inc yesterday launched three multimedia upgrade kits, for use by MS-DOS and Windows personal computer users as well as its own Macintosh users, the aim being to extract at least some revenue from the market that is wrecking its margins in its core Mac business. Apple expects pricing for the AppleCD Multimedia kit and Performa CD multimedia kits to range between $550 and $650, and the CD multimedia kits for iAPX-86 to be priced between $600 and $700. The company hopes to sell between 1m and 1.5m CD-ROM drives by the end of this year. Biggest beneficiary of the move seems to be Media Vision Technology Inc of Fremont, California: Apple went to the company for Pro Audio 16 add-in sound boards for use in the kits. The CD multimedia kit will also use the Sony Corp double speed SCSI CD-ROM. Each kit also includes an AppleCD 300 CD-ROM drive, AppleDesign Powered Speakers and two CD-ROM titles. Terms of the agreement between Apple and Media Vision have not been disclosed.
