UMAX SuperMac information

The SuperMac was a line of Macintosh clones produced by UMAX Technologies from 1996 to 1998. Their models included the SuperMac S900/S910, J700, C500 and C500e/i/LT, C600e/v/LT/x and Aegis 200. The C500 was marketed as the Apus 2000 in Europe. They used versions of Apple's motherboard like Tsunami, Alchemy, and Tanzania, which were designed to use standard IBM PC compatible components in addition to Apple-proprietary components then in common use in the Power Macintosh family. The machines were popular in places like Asia, Europe, and North America due to their low price and reliability.

After Steve Jobs returned to Apple as the new CEO, he revoked all of the clone producers' licenses to produce Mac clones except for UMAX,^[1] due to their sub-US$1,000 low-end offerings, a market in which Apple was not strong, and UMAX's stated desire to expand the Macintosh platform's presence in East Asian markets. UMAX was the only Macintosh clone manufacturer to get a license for Mac OS 8, which expired in July 1998. UMAX knew that they couldn't continue producing the SuperMac without the Mac OS 8 license and sought to get the license extended or renewed, but conflict between Apple and UMAX over the latter's proposed J710 and Apple's own upcoming iMac G3 resulted in Apple not renewing their license. UMAX also considered continuing the brand as a PC manufacturer, but instead decided to shut down the brand.

On May 27, 1998, UMAX ceased production of MacOS-based computers, and sold all remaining inventory by August 31, 1998. UMAX's license for Mac OS 8 had expired by July 31, and all remaining SuperMac utilities (included technical support) were either terminated or absorbed into UMAX's regular operations by 31 December 1998.^[2] UMAX continued to provide technical support for SuperMac machines until July 31, 2002.^[3]