___________________________________________________________________________
 		SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION  
		     Washington, D. C.  20549  
 
 
			     FORM 8-K
 
 
 			   CURRENT REPORT  
 
 
 Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of  the Securities Exchange Act of 1934  
 
 
		Date of Report:   December 24, 1996
		Date of earliest 
 		event reported:   December 20, 1996


			Apple Computer, Inc.
	(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)  


	California			0-10030		94-2404110
(State or other jurisdiction of	   (Commission File	(I.R.S. Employer
incorporation or organization)		Number)		Identification No.)
	




	   1 Infinite Loop, Cupertino, California 95014
	     (Address of principal executive offices) 


 Registrant's telephone number, including area code:  (408) 996-1010


			   Not Applicable
     (Former name or former address, if changed since last report.)    
			Exhibit Index on Page 4
				1

INFORMATION INCLUDED IN THIS REPORT

Items 1 through 4, 6 and 8 Not Applicable.

Item 5.	Other Events.

	(i)  Reference is made to the press release issued to the public by the
registrant on December 20, 1996 announcing it has signed an agreement to
purchase NeXT Software, Inc. for a price of $400 million ($350 million plus the
assumption of approximately $50 million of debt), the text of which is attached
hereto as an exhibit, for a description of the events reported pursuant to this
Form 8-K.


Item 7.	Financial Statements, Pro Forma Financial Information and 
Exhibits.

	(c)	Exhibits

		99.1	Text of press release dated December 20, 1996.

				2


				

			    SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.


			APPLE COMPUTER, INC.



					By:	/s/Fred D. Anderson		
						Fred D. Anderson,
						Executive Vice President and
						Chief Financial Officer

Date:  December 24, 1996

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			INDEX TO EXHIBITS 

Exhibit		Document					Page
99.1		Text of Press Release dated December 20, 1996	5


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