Apple accused of hosting non-event

UK distributor and Umax agent IMC has dismissed Apple's Monday announcement as a "non-event" and "peculiar" for its lack of major news.

"Apple had the PR machine in motion, UK representatives in the US, satellite links, the works," said Neil Wright, marketing manager of IMC. "We were all expecting something more major like a merger deal with Oracle."

Apple's decision to sell direct in the US and release a range of machines based on its new G3 processor was greeted with a "so what" by Wright who added that the build-to-order strategy was not a surprise.

Wright also had damning words for Apple UK. "We get no input from Apple even though we are virtually Umax UK and Umax is a major Apple partner. We're fans of Apple kit but not of Apple UK or Europe."

Wright added that he was "unsure" what effects Apple's US direct policy would eventually have on the UK. "Apple has to be careful. The Mac OS is important but NT is equally important now."

Umax recently decided to take on the Wintel platform as an alternative solution for its customers but managed to retain the Mac OS license despite Apple pulling the plug on all other Mac clone licensees.

"The main reason is that Apple wants to share Umax's advanced technology and design in microprocessors," said Wright.

Apple meanwhile is talking-up its online shop, saying that the store had more than 4.4 million hits, and rang up $500,000 in orders in its first 12 hours of operation.