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Item 3875943 93/02/10 13:57
From: CONRAD_GEIGER@NEXT.COM@INET# Internet Gateway
Subject: Announcement: NeXT to Become Software Company
News
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Allison Thomas Allison Thomas Associates (415) 780-3786 (818) 981-
1520
NeXT TO BECOME SOFTWARE COMPANY
REDWOOD CITY, Calif., February 10, 1993 - NeXT Computer, Inc. today announced
that it is accelerating its transition to a software company and plans to sell
its hardware operations. The restructured company's mission is to establish
NeXTSTEP as one of the leading object-oriented software environments for
developing and deploying client/server applications on industry-standard
hardware platforms.
"We had planned to make this a more gradual transition, but the imminent
availability of the Intel processor version of NeXTSTEP, combined with the
commoditization of the hardware industry, meant we had no choice but to
accelerate our schedule," said Steven P. Jobs, NeXT's chairman and CEO. "We
need to act now to capitalize on our market lead before Cairo and Taligent
enter the game."
NeXTSTEP is widely recognized as the most advanced object-oriented system
software environment currently available. With seven years of development
behind it and 50,000 users, its lead over Taligent's operating system and
Microsoft's Cairo neither of which is expected to ship before the end of 1994
is significant. Industry analysts such as IDC anticipate a significant shift
from traditional to object-oriented desktop operating systems during the mid-
1990s.
The Transition NeXT began the transition to a software company today with the
announcement of its restructuring. The transition will be complete by the
second-annual NeXTWORLD Expo, May 25-27 in San Francisco, where 10,000
customers are expected to attend more than 100 exhibits, a developer
conference and a user conference.
NeXT emerges from this transition not only as a more focused company, but also
as a stronger business. NeXT as a software supplier will have a leaner 200-
person operation and a pipeline of orders for the Intel processor version of
NeXTSTEP. Significantly, NeXT is also developing alliances with hardware
manufacturers that would have been difficult or impossible to develop if NeXT
had itself remained a manufacturer of proprietary hardware.
NeXT is currently expanding all areas of its software operations to emphasize
technologies where NeXT adds unique value. At the same time, because NeXT is
no longer in the hardware business, it is eliminating all aspects of its
hardware operations, from design through manufacturing, and scaling back
sales, marketing and administration. Of NeXT's more than 530 employees, 200
will remain in the new company; approximately 280 will be let go from sales,
marketing, manufacturing and administration worldwide. NeXT is providing
terminated employees with a generous separation package as well as a variety
of outplacement services.
Production has now ceased for NeXT's hardware. NeXT has an existing inventory
to fill customer orders until May 25, when the Intel processor version of
NeXTSTEP will be available. All existing support and service agreements will
be honored.
NeXT will be selling its hardware design center and factory. Announcements
will be forthcoming.
NeXTComputer, Inc. develops and markets the industry-acclaimed NeXTSTEP object-
oriented software for industry-standard computer architectures such as the
Intel486 and Pentium. NeXTSTEP is used by corporate customers to develop and
deploy client/server applications, using both custom and shrink-wrapped
productivity software.
-30-
NeXT, the NeXT logo, NeXTSTEP and NeXTWORLD are trademarks of NeXT, Inc.
Intel486 and Pentium are registered trademarks of Intel Corporation. All
other trademarks mentioned belong to their respective owners.