Apples QuickTime Expands 3GPP2 Mobile Support

Apple's QuickTime 6.5, released on Thursday, adds support for 3GPP2 mobile multimedia standard and devices on CDMA 2000 wireless networks. The update also improves DV playback.

Apple Computer Inc. on Thursday released a new version of its QuickTime multimedia player and multimedia content creation software. The update extends support to more mobile devices and improves performance, officials said.

With QuickTime 6.5, available now, Apple adds support for the 3rd Generation Partnership Project 2 (3GPP2), the latest version of the wireless multimedia standard that brings video and audio support to CDMA 2000 wireless networks. Apple began its mobile push in May with QuickTime 6.3, which provided support for the first 3GPP standard for GSM wireless networks

To read more about QuickTimes support for 3GPP formats, click here.

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By focusing on the wireless multimedia standards, Apple is able to expand QuickTimes use by making it compatible with more of the multimedia handsets entering the market, said Frank Casanova, senior director of Apples Core Media Group. Even if QuickTime is not used directly in the wireless phone or PDA, it can be used to create the mobile multimedia content as well as for playback on Macs or PCs.

"We dont have to get involved in porting to dozens of handsets because the standard does work for us," Casanova said.

Beyond its mobile focus, QuickTime 6.5 provides an enhanced digital video playback, including performance improvements for Apples iMovie, iDVD and Final Cut Pro video applications. Such improvements include providing a smoother view of video created with interlacing, said Rhonda Stratton, director of QuickTime product marketing.

Casanova said that the latest QuickTime release follows Apples strategy of building greater support for multimedia standards into QuickTime. The effort was jumpstarted with QuickTime 6.0, released in July 2002, and its support for the MPEG-4 standard for which QuickTime served as the base file format. The 3GPP and 3GPP2 standards also have strong ties to MPEG-4.

Cupertino, Calif.-based Apple said that 175 million copies of QuickTime 6.0 and higher have been downloaded from its Web site. The number does not include other distribution channels for QuickTime, such as on enhanced CDs or through ISPs.

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