Apple releases Chinese version of new operating system
( 2001-06-19 22:08 ) (8 )

Apple Computer released Tuesday the Chinese version of its latest product Mac OS X, an ambitious upgrade of the Macintosh operating system.

Vincent Tai, president of Apple (China), said at presentation Tuesday that Mac OS X is Apple's most important renovation in the software industry after the launch of Macintosh operating system in 1984. The company could not wait for Chinese users to experience its stable and upgraded performance.

Mac OS X just went on sale in March on the US market. The new system has sleek graphics and can make for easier computing.

At the presentation, executives with Apple (China) marketing showed the revised file organizer in Mac OS X let movies, music and text files be previewed before being opened. The system can run more applications simultaneously than before, and if one program crashes, it won't take the entire system down.

The retail price of the software is placed at 1,390 yuan. It is installed for free along with the sale of Apple desktop and laptop computers such as iMac, iBook and Power Mac G4.

Apple also announced Tuesday the release of another two products on the China market, iBook, the smallest and the lightest Apple laptop, and 17 inch liquid crystal screen.

Apple was regarded as the third best foreign computer brand by Chinese consumers, after IBM and Compaq, based on a market survey conducted by the China National Consumers' Association last year.