Ownership Submission
FORM 4
Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
SMITH ORIN R
  2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
APPLERA CORP [ABI/CRA]
5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
__X__ Director _____ 10% Owner
_____ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
APPLERA CORPORATION, 301 MERRITT 7
3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
10/21/2004
(Street)

NORWALK, CT 06851-1070
4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4 and 5)
5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 3 and 4)
6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price
Applied Biosystems Group Common Stock Units 10/21/2004   A   1,300 A $ 0 21,792.16 (1) D  
Celera Genomics Group Common Stock Units 10/21/2004   A   500 A $ 0 6,004.63 D  
Applied Biosystems Group Common Stock               4,000 D  
Celera Genomics Group Common Stock               0 D  

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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 4. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4, and 5)
6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)
7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(Instr. 3 and 4)
8. Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5)
9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 4)
10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Applied Biosystems Group Director Stock Option-Right to Buy $ 18.905 10/21/2004   A   9,200     (2) 10/21/2014 Applied Biosystems Group Common Stock 9,200 $ 18.905 9,200 D  
Celera Genomics Group Director Stock Option-Right to Buy $ 12.005 10/21/2004   A   3,400     (2) 10/21/2014 Celera Genomics Group Common Stock 3,400 $ 12.005 3,400 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
SMITH ORIN R
APPLERA CORPORATION
301 MERRITT 7
NORWALK, CT 06851-1070
  X      

Signatures

 Thomas P. Livingston, Attorney-in-Fact for Orin R. Smith   10/25/2004
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) Includes 45.16 Applied Biosystems Group Common Stock Units acquired in October 2004 pursuant to the dividend reinvestment feature of the Company's director stock purchase and stock incentive plans.
(2) The options become exercisable in four equal annual installments commencing October 21, 2005.

Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, see Instruction 6 for procedure.

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