Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Apple Ceases Development of 'AirPort' Wireless Routers as Engineers Reassigned to Other Products
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Like a $300 coffee table book..
It's gradually dawning on me that my next computer will probably run Windows and my next phone will probably run Android.
It's been a great 36 years, though.
It's been a great 36 years, though.
I will wait and see what becomes of this. But as I have stated in other threads about Apple products, one of the reasons I have been an avid Apple fan boy is because of the ecosystem. I have a Time Capsule and a couple of Expresses that work flawlessly and loved that they were part of the ecosystem. I am currently on a wait and see frame of mind towards any Apple products purchases in the near to mid-range future. I am just not sure what direction Apple is headed in any longer and not sure if I want to go along with the direction they are headed in.
I was thinking about this. I feel GOOD about skipping the last couple of phones. I feel GOOD that I am using a 6 year old Mac Pro. I'm dissatisfied enough with Apple that it is a better feeling not buying their products, rather than how it used to be. Buying a new Apple product used to be fun and a positive experience.
I do have a 1 year old MacBook that work bought me, but I rarely use it. It would be a Surface Pro if MS hadn't birthed the Skylake launch.
This move shows today's Apple cares more about profit than making good products... really a shame. Apple's routers offer certain advantages over the competitors, mainly the ease of configurability.
First Apple stops making displays, now this. Mac mini is probably going to be the next product dropped
Just curious, but how long ago was that, and how expensive were the routers you previously used? Networking has come a long way in the past few years since 802.11ac became standard, many have 1 click firmware upgrades now too without having to download and upload them manually. I've noticed a lot of people used to buy $50 routers, complained they sucked, then spent 4x more on an AirPort and claimed they are much better (obviously, it was 4x the price).
I hate the direction Apple is going, they seem to be only wanting to invest in iPhone's, iPad's, and MacBook's. And only the most profitable models.
This move shows today's Apple cares more about profit than making good products... really a shame. Apple's routers offer certain advantages over the competitors, mainly the ease of configurability.
First Apple stops making displays, now this. Mac mini is probably going to be the next product dropped
Newer routers are really not that hard to configure. And there are companies offering similar experiences to Apple in terms of routers. I am glad they are hopefully focusing more on the core products.
That being said, if you go out and buy a $20 router your not going to get a experience similar to Apples. You get what you pay for.
Have you used a Surface Studio? I just tried one out the other day and was blown away. Made me realize how bored I am with Apple. For the first time in years, I was truly excited by a new piece of tech. Pretty sure I'll be switching to Windows in the coming years.
This move shows today's Apple cares more about profit than making good products... really a shame. Apple's routers offer certain advantages over the competitors, mainly the ease of configurability.
First Apple stops making displays, now this. Mac mini is probably going to be the next product dropped
It has been consistent lately that every move is about profit, or courage to make more profit.
This move shows today's Apple cares more about profit than making good products... really a shame. Apple's routers offer certain advantages over the competitors, mainly the ease of configurability.
First Apple stops making displays, now this. Mac mini is probably going to be the next product dropped
No. It really shows no one in upper management KNOWS the products they sell. And don't actually USE the products.
It shows a level of incompetence.
Or even just outsource it to another company and stick an Apple logo on it? Everyone needs wifi routers, this will just mean customers will discover other brands.
I'm simply disgusted with almost every move Tim "beancounter" Cook's Apple makes. AirPort routers where imo integral part of the (once upon a time) smooth Apple ecosystem.
With every day I'm more and more happy that I'm ditching Apple.
PS I guess I keep reading and commenting Mac sites out of inertia and beauce maybe I still care a little.
With every day I'm more and more happy that I'm ditching Apple.
PS I guess I keep reading and commenting Mac sites out of inertia and beauce maybe I still care a little.
This makes perfect sense actually. Apple are killing off anything that could possibly compete with their online services. In this case it's iCloud - they are forcing people towards iCloud backup and the subscription modes that comes with it.
This is quite similar as what they have done with the Music app, if you're not a subscriber it's downright useless.
Apple used to function in a way that you wanted to buy in to the eco system, everything just worked so well. Now they are more forcing your hand. Previously great apps are dumbed down or simply rendered almost useless.
I'm no longer drinking the cool aid. I'm transitioning away from the Apple platform, not all in one big crazy step but gradually. So far I've been swapping out a lot of Apple apps with other ones. Breath of fresh air actually.
This is quite similar as what they have done with the Music app, if you're not a subscriber it's downright useless.
Apple used to function in a way that you wanted to buy in to the eco system, everything just worked so well. Now they are more forcing your hand. Previously great apps are dumbed down or simply rendered almost useless.
I'm no longer drinking the cool aid. I'm transitioning away from the Apple platform, not all in one big crazy step but gradually. So far I've been swapping out a lot of Apple apps with other ones. Breath of fresh air actually.
Disappointing. Great router. The Apple ecosystem will soon consist of just a phone and computers.
Maybe if they did not run after cars but tried staying a little closer to home they could afford to produce products in more than 3 or 4 categories.
Maybe if they did not run after cars but tried staying a little closer to home they could afford to produce products in more than 3 or 4 categories.
Some of the Asus routers yield a similar experience and you just have to plug in a external HD into them and it will work just the same.
Charter does not provide a router. They provide a modem and you supply your own router.
It doesn't ultimately change my analysis. Apple is/has moving/moved toward subscription-based services. That's where they're taking music; it's what they've done with iCloud; it's what they're attempting--but apparently failing--at doing with aTV. Time Capsule doesn't fit within that mold. In all of Apple's models, it's no longer about you holding onto the physical commodity of the media you "own"; it's all about them eliminating your physical access to media, and rather generating a continuous income stream through licensing your access to media, and by charging a monthly subscription fee to access documents, backups, etc., that you leave on THEIR equipment rather than your own.
It honestly baffles me that people like this model aside from not having to be mindful of routine backups. How many times has your house burned down and you've lost all of your media? How many times has someone broken into your office and stolen your external backup drive(s)? How often does someone break into your local bank and steal your backup that's in your safe deposit box? Yet how often do you hear of some widespread hack that has potentially left you vulnerable?
I still believe resolutely that as long as I'm thoughtful and careful, my information and media is safer under my own guardianship than it is entrusted to someone else stored and managed in servers located and protected and accessible to who know who, who knows where!