distribution and playback of all time-based and spatial media types. QTML is a unifying strategy that builds upon Apple's digital media standards--QuickTime, QuickTime VR, QuickDraw(TM) 3D, QuickTime Conferencing, Speech APIs, and Game Sprockets--and transforms them into a powerful, fully integrated, platform-independent API. QTML-enabled content can be created anywhere, distributed any way, and experienced everywhere. The Universal Container The QuickTime Media Layer approach to content creation is multifaceted, offering several distinct advantages to creators and toolmakers. QTML provides a rich set of APIs for developing software tools and creating interactive content. QTML offers a "universal container" for transferring this content seamlessly between creative applications of all kinds. QTML also offers a standard distribution format for disseminating content. And lastly, QTML delivers a common runtime platform for experiencing the richest, most interactive content available. Encompassing all digital media types, QTML provides the architecture to easily and elegantly combine video, music, animation, 3D graphics, text and speech in unlimited ways, distribute the result from broadcast to Webcast, and provide a platform-independent mechanism for experiencing this content.

Core QTML Technologies To fully appreciate the depth and breadth of QTML, it's helpful to briefly look at the individual technology components Apple has already developed: QuickTime QuickTime is the most pervasive standard for CD-ROM and Internet content delivery today. QuickTime currently supports multiple data types, including video, sound, graphics, animation, text, music/MIDI, MPEG, and sprite 3D, with the ability to synchronize all the media types to a common time base. With the development of QTML, these capabilities will blend seamlessly with the other QTML technology components, enabling integration of QuickTime VR and QuickDraw 3D media as well, for example. QuickTime supports any compression/decompression standard including Motion-JPEG, Cinepak and Indeo; M-JPEG transcoding, SMPTE time code, and multiprocessing systems for professional-quality video editing; and includes the powerful QuickTime Music Architecture that provides music professionals and content developers with the opportunity to include custom sound synthesizers and instruments in music tracks for a distinctive aural presence. Multiplatform QuickTime playback enables developers to create their title only once but deliver it in many ways, across many platforms. The QuickTime file format and software architecture are acknowledged standards for multimedia creation and delivery. Apple has granted more than 2500 licenses to Windows and Macintosh CD-ROM title developers for distributing QuickTime on these platforms, and is

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