Microsoft Releases Windows Media Player 7 for Mac With Support for Latest Breakthrough Compression Technology

REDMOND, Wash., March 28, 2001 — Microsoft Corp. today announced the immediate availability of Windows Media™
Player 7 for Mac, which offers Macintosh users access to the thousands of hours of the highest-quality movies and music available in Windows Media Format, a new and intuitive design and reliable performance. It runs on most popular Macintosh models, including the Apple iMac, Cube and G4. The new player is available for download starting today at http://WindowsMedia.com/ .

With the new player, Microsoft responds to consumer demand for Windows Media-formatted content on the Macintosh platform and makes it possible for content providers to encode their content once to reach the broadest possible audience. Microsoft® Windows Media Player 7 for Mac supports digital rights management and the newest Windows Media codecs – Windows Media Audio and Video 8 – also released today.

Online film content providers have announced plans to offer thousands of hours of movie content using the new Windows Media Video 8 codec technology. With the new player, Macintosh users can experience the breakthrough quality of Windows Media Video 8 at http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/wm8/default.asp .

“To deliver on our goal of taking digital media everywhere, we must ensure the best digital music and film experience across multiple platforms and devices,” said Dave Fester, general manager of marketing for the Windows® Digital Media Division at Microsoft.
“Windows Media Player 7 for Mac unlocks more great content for a broader community of users, and it gives studios, labels and artists the technology to deliver it in the highest-quality format available: Windows Media 8.”

Windows Media Player 7 for Mac makes it possible for Macintosh users to enjoy the revolutionary new Windows Media Audio and Video 8 codecs, which provide near-DVD-quality video at rates as low as 500 Kbps, near-VHS-quality video at rates as low as 250 Kbps,
CD-quality audio at 64 Kbps and near-CD-quality sound at 48 Kbps, about one-third the file size of MP3. In addition, the new player was built to provide solid stability and reliability, providing hours of uninterrupted playback, and includes a new plug-in compatible with Netscape Navigator/Communicator and Microsoft Internet Explorer browsers.

Windows Media Player 7 for Mac supports playback of streamed or downloaded Windows Media audio and video files. The player also supports Windows Media digital rights management, making it possible for Mac users to download songs for purchase or promotion. To accommodate music fans with legacy collections of digital music, Windows Media Player 7 for Mac also supports playback of MP3 files.

The player offers a new, easy-to-use interface for audio and video playback, including built-in selectable
“skins”
that change the look of the player. In addition to the default skin, Mac users can select from a small, miniplayer for audio playback or a
“classic”
skin for those who prefer a classic Macintosh feel.

About Windows Media

Windows Media is the leading digital media platform, providing unmatched audio and video quality to consumers, content providers, solution providers, software developers and

corporations. Windows Media offers the industry’s only integrated rights-management solution and the most scalable and reliable streaming technology tested by independent labs. Windows Media Technologies includes Windows Media Player for consumers, Windows Media Services for servers, Windows Media Tools for content creation, and the Windows Media Software Development Kit (SDK) for software developers. Windows Media Player, available in
26 languages, is the fastest-growing media player. More information about Windows Media can be found at http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmedia/ .

About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq
“MSFT”
) is the worldwide leader in software, services and Internet technologies for personal and business computing. The company offers a wide range of products and services designed to empower people through great software –
any time, any place and on any device.

Microsoft, Windows Media and Windows are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.

The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.

Note to editors: If you are interested in viewing additional information on Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft Web page at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/ on Microsoft’s corporate information pages.

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