In yet another bit of good news for Apple's QuickTime technology, the company has announced that downloads for the multimedia software has topped the 3 million mark. According to Apple:
Apple today announced that there have been over three million downloads of QuickTime® 4 software during the first month since its launch. QuickTime 4 features 'streaming' of live and stored video and audio over the Internet, and is the first Internet streaming solution to use open, industry-standard protocols (RTP and RSTP), eliminating the "server tax" charged to content providers by competitors using proprietary protocols.
"QuickTime 4 provides the highest quality video and audio over the Internet," said Steve Jobs, Apple's interim CEO. "And, since content providers no longer have to pay RealNetworks' server tax, Quicktime 4 is attracting new 'Intercasters' every week."
QuickTime 4 is the latest version of Apple's industry-leading multimedia software for Macintosh® and Windows platforms. New features of QuickTime 4 include an all new, sleek QuickTime Player that offers easy access to QuickTime content, and significant enhancements to the QuickTime PictureViewer application and QuickTime Web Browser Plug-in. QuickTime 4 is currently in public beta and is available today as a free download from www.apple.com/quicktime. Leading media organizations including BBC, Bloomberg, HBO and NPR have already adopted QuickTime 4 to provide high-quality streaming of live and stored programming over the Internet, accessible from the QuickTime web site.
Large scale adoption of QuickTime 4 is of paramount import to Apple. With the software topping 3 million downloads in just the first month, Apple seems well on its way.
The Mac Observer Spin: Wow, Apple is really taking it to RealNetworks. Hammering the "server tax" issue is a very strong statement for the company to be making. It is interesting that they are not hammering as hard on Microsoft's MediaPlayer technology. With RealNetworks holding the dominant position however, their may not be anything more than Apple hammering the market leader behind the attacks.
One way or another, QuickTime 4 is well on its way to supplanting RealNetworks as the market leader. Star Wars and the endorsement given by George Lucas and Lucasfilms has much to do with this success.
Apple
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