their own digital music products, including music enabled cell phones, distribution services, and free peer-to-peer music services. These competitors include both new entrants with different market approaches, such as subscription services models, and also larger companies that may have greater technical, marketing, distribution, and other resources than those of the Company, as well as established hardware, software, and digital content supplier relationships. Failure to effectively compete could negatively affect the Company’s operating results and financial position. There can be no assurance that the Company will be able to continue to provide products and services that effectively compete in these markets or successfully distribute and sell digital music outside the U.S. The Company may also have to respond to price competition by lowering prices and/or increasing features which could adversely affect the Company’s music product gross margins as well as overall Company gross margins. 

The Company also faces increased competition in the U.S. education market. U.S. elementary and secondary schools, as well as college and university customers, remain a core market for the Company. Uncertainty in this channel remains as several competitors of the Company have either targeted or announced their intention to target the education market for personal computers, which could negatively affect the Company’s market share. In an effort to regain market share and remain competitive, the Company has been and will continue to pursue one- to-one (1:1) learning solutions in education. 1:1 learning solutions typically consist of iBook portable systems for every student and teacher along with a wireless network connected to a central server. These 1:1 learning solutions and other strategic sales are generally priced more aggressively and could result in significantly less profitability or even in financial losses, particularly for larger deals. Although the Company believes it has taken certain steps to strengthen its position in the education market, there can be no assurance that the Company will be able to increase or maintain its share of the education market or execute profitably on large strategic arrangements. Failure to do so may have an adverse impact on the Company’s operating results and financial condition. 

The Company’ s transition from PowerPC microprocessors used by Macintosh computers to microprocessors built by Intel is subject to numerous risks.

In June 2005, the Company announced its intention to transition from the use of PowerPC microprocessors to the use of Intel microprocessors in all of its Macintosh computers by the end of calendar year 2007. This transition is subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, including the Company’s ability to timely develop and deliver new products using Intel microprocessors, the timely innovation and delivery of related hardware and software products, including the Company’s applications, to support Intel microprocessors, market acceptance of Intel-based Macintosh computers, the development and availability on acceptable terms of components and services essential to enable the Company to timely