Apple Halts Development of its “AirPort” Wireless Routers

[Maura]

MacRumors reports today that Apple has signalled the cessation of its “AirPort” wireless router division by giving the engineers that were working on those products employment in other divisions, including an Apple TV product team.

While this is not exactly shock news, as Apple has been gradually closing the department over the last year, it is likely to be an unpopular decision with many.

According to MacRumors, Apple has made the decision in order to “sharpen the company’s focus on consumer products that generate the bulk of its revenue.”

However, as the originator of the report, Bloomberg, notes, “exiting the router business could make Apple’s product ecosystem less sticky.” This is because some of the AirPort routers’ features, such as wireless music playback, for example, need another Apple device such as an iPhone or iPad, in order to work. Could this maybe cause customers to look elsewhere for their mobile phones or tablets without the added attraction of buying into a consistent ecosystem?

Thanks to @KevinJS for the heads-up on this story.

Source: Apple Ceases Development of 'AirPort' Wireless Routers as Engineers Reassigned to Other Products

 

[scifan57]

That's a shame. My Airport Express is the best router I've ever used. I guess that means the end of the Time Capsule as well.

 

[J. A.]

Seems so. After all, they're called AirPort Time Capsule.
Too bad. My Time Capsule is more reliable and faster than my router.

 

[scifan57]

I'll have to get a time capsule before the stock runs out. I wonder when production will actually stop?

 

[KevinJS]

No idea. Someone pointed out that this news is actually from Bloomberg. Apple have made no statement.

Thinking about it, any external or network drive can be configured to act as a Time Capsule, and many are quite cheap. This could have something to do with the decision. I haven't tried it, but a HDD plugged into the USB port of an Extreme should work as well. It doesn't work on an Express though. The USB will only take a printer.

 

[Junior]

No idea. Someone pointed out that this news is actually from Bloomberg. Apple have made no statement.

Thinking about it, any external or network drive can be configured to act as a Time Capsule, and many are quite cheap. This could have something to do with the decision. I haven't tried it, but a HDD plugged into the USB port of an Extreme should work as well. It doesn't work on an Express though. The USB will only take a printer.

You're right any network drive can be the time capsule backup, so the AirPort is not needed, per say. It's just nice to have a router that doesn't ever require a reboot, restart or constant updating.

I don't know how they do it, but the Apple AirPort just works. Out of the Box, no messing around.

Before the AirPort, every router I had before was a huge PITA.