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

Sad, sad day. Apple routers are consistently the best routers I've ever used. When new wireless technologies emerge in the future; I'll be as disappointed then when I have to replace my Apple router as I was when I had to replace my Apple display with a 4k model from Dell.

I'm not sure if Tim Cook knows this; but, one of the great things about Apple is the eco-system. The way everything works together. I now have a display that I have to go through crappy on-screen menus, whereas before I could adjust it FROM my Mac. Soon I'll have a router I can't change settings on with a simple built-in utility on my Mac or iOS device. And that won't easily and natively support Time Machine. And that I'll have to unplug and plug back in (something I have never done, not ONE, in years of owning Apple routers). No more Safari on Windows; so I can't sync between my Mac, iPhone, iPad, AND Windows PC. I use Chrome now. Perhaps next, Final Cut Pro X will get the Axe. I suppose then I'll buy Adobe Premiere. I already use Lightroom, since Aperture has bitten the dust.

As I replace more and more and more of my hardware and software with Non-Apple stuff. I guess I'm going to begin to wonder why I buy Mac's and iPhones after all; since the marriage of hardware and software was what made those so great. Without that; what's left?
 
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MisterK said:
In 5 years Apple's lineup may look like:
MacBooks (the legacy work computer)
iPads (luxury and for work)
iPads for education (cheaper/rugged)
iPhone (the everywhere computer)
AR
Car
Accessories for each of those for stocking stuffers

That sounds like plenty enough to focus on without making routers.
Click to expand...
Except the developers won't have high-end Macs anymore to write the software. No software - bye bye future sales. Apple is dying. They may be making money right now, but they are losing the long game right now.
 
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MisterK said:
It's useful to remember than when Jobs returned to a struggling Apple, he cut dozens of products down to a four product quadrant. Consumer laptop/desktop, Professional laptop/desktop. As much as I love all my Apple products (including my AirPort Extreme) I can appreciate Apple's need to focus before their confusing lineup takes them back to becoming a struggling company.

There are a number of considerations Apple is likely to be (or should be) making all the time. As Moore's Law has progressed, I don't think that consumer/pro is the right product distinction roadmap for the "computer for all of us" company. In a couple of years, Apple's slowest computers will be enough for 95% of professionals. Is a better distinction "entry level" and "luxury"? Is a router (even one with a hard drive) needed? Is building it into the Apple TV, an Alexa type unit, or spreading its functions across devices a better idea (so each acts as a repeater)? Most modems from ISPs now come with a wifi router built in. What is the customer story for each of their devices? Where do they think they will best be able to compete in 3 years? 5 years?

Let's keep in mind that this is the world's most valuable company and they didn't get there by being dumb. Not saying they won't make mistakes but it's probably more interesting to figure out why they'd do what they are doing rather than expecting them to keep iterating on (and occasionally forking) existing product lines.

Too many people, including very smart Apple pundits, ask themselves the wrong questions about future product lineups; as if it's a given that it will be some model variation of what current offerings are. Apple can't think like that. They must question every product every year.

In 5 years Apple's lineup may look like:
MacBooks (the legacy work computer)
iPads (luxury and for work)
iPads for education (cheaper/rugged)
iPhone (the everywhere computer)
AR
Car
Accessories for each of those for stocking stuffers

That sounds like plenty enough to focus on without making routers.
Click to expand...

Absolutely. Apple used to make all kinds of stuff that they don't make now. Printers, scanners, etc. And in some rights; the best ones on the market. However, some of the things they are cutting now are flirting dangerously close with severing that hardware and software relationship. No more Apple displays and routers actually does affect how I use my Mac, for example. The experience is not as good with my Dell 4k display as it was with my 1440p Apple Cinema Display (tis' just, unfortunately, outdated, and I need/want 4k). And so on and so forth...
 
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ksnell said:
Silver Lining: Let's hope Time Machine is finally compatible with SMB shares and not just AFP shares.
Click to expand...

It is, though it needs specific extensions and support, but apple actually publish what these are and what's needed, so third party support should improve.
 
zorinlynx said:
A couple weeks ago, I got curious when I heard Apple had enabled Time Machine over SMB officially, so I tried to create a Time Machine backup volume on my Samba fileserver. It did not work; the system did not make the volume available for Time Machine.

So no, it doesn't necessarily work. Perhaps Apple whitelisted some NAS devices on the market and it'll work with them, but for my Linux file server running Samba it was a no-go.

I didn't spend too much time trying to get it to work, since I have my Time Capsule... but now that I know TC will be discontinued maybe I'll put more time into it. I'll follow up on this thread if I get it working. :)

EDIT: Oops I misread your post; you said Airplay not TM backups. No, Airplay works over any router. However, what I typed is still relevant to Time Machine users so I'll leave it up. :)
Click to expand...

Yeah I am interested in this too. I have a Windows server and use Crashplan with the Windows share currently (as well as Time Machine to Time Capsule) for my backup solution.

Would love to be able to switch over to Time Machine on Windows server SMB share. Thus far, there are a couple ways to hack it but since it is not formally supported, I am not going to trust it. You can create a sparsebundle file on Disk Utility and then move it over to the share drive. Then I think you need to do a 1 line command in Terminal (search Google/YouTube) and Time Machine will recognize it. Then you have to figure out how to keep the SMB share mounted, which is another huge complaint of mine. Windows is way better with network drives.

It is insane to me that they have preferred SMB over AFP since 2013 but still only formally support Time Machine over AFP. Also there is no formal way to limit the amount of drive space your backup takes (for those that have multiple computers and don't want one to hog the whole drive). Have been writing to suggest the importance of these issues to www.apple.com/feedback for probably about a year now and would be great if others could too!
 
el-John-o said:
Absolutely. Apple used to make all kinds of stuff that they don't make now. Printers, scanners, etc. And in some rights; the best ones on the market. However, some of the things they are cutting now are flirting dangerously close with severing that hardware and software relationship. No more Apple displays and routers actually does affect how I use my Mac, for example. The experience is not as good with my Dell 4k display as it was with my 1440p Apple Cinema Display (tis' just, unfortunately, outdated, and I need/want 4k). And so on and so forth...
Click to expand...

Yup, my employer bought me a third-party display that connects natively via Mini DisplayPort. Not the cheapest display available, chosen for its seemingly high quality, and yet I frequently must reconnect the display because it drops the signal. Not an "Apple" experience by far. Had that been an Apple display, it would be unacceptable, but since it's a third-party display, I "live with it".
 
Dear Steve! When you decided to give the whole power to the strange designer and that silent guy, did you expect such thing to happen? What would you say if you only knew?..
 
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Jimmy James said:
So were computers until Apple started soldering everything together and setting absurd prices.
Click to expand...
But many of us already get wireless routers with our broadband packages. So we wind up hooking routers to routers, etc.
 
I'd urge caution with this rumor. It makes a lot more sense that Apple is shifting to a new product line that incorporates both Siri and wifi. I'd be surprised, no shocked, if Apple left it's customers to fend their way through the mess of poor security, poor connectivity, etc., that is found in its competitors wifi. Especially with its focus on HomeKit, security, wireless, etc., it doesn't make sense to say they are abandoning this area.

I predict you'll see something very exciting with speakers, maybe a partnership or purchase of Sonos, that incorporates Siri throughout the house, setting the standard for sound, security and wireless automation.
 
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KPOM said:
But many of us already get wireless routers with our broadband packages. So we wind up hooking routers to routers, etc.
Click to expand...
I gave back my 'included' router as it was junk. Hooking up my Airport Extreme in bridge mode was simply enough though.

Sadly, I can get a much better router for $269 than my present Time Capsule.
 
jbellanca said:
My Yamaha receive has it...
Click to expand...
My Denon and Onkyo receivers have it, too. Right now, I am not upset, but if they drop Airplay from iOS, it would be painful. I don't think they need Airport Express to continue with Airplay, but the fact that they sold AEs made it easy to see why they would continue supporting it.

They did start putting Sonos in their stores and are insinuating that Bluetooth is the next big thing (by removing the headphone jack on the iPhone). It worries me about the future of Airplay, but I will just let it play out before I panic. If I had to, I could switch to Casting, but the upside to Airplay is hitting a button on my iPhone or Apple Watch and seeing my receiver come on, switch to the correct input and start playing with the ability to control volume or what is playing via Siri from the watch/phone. Nothing else does that.
 
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Maybe they will make enough money one day to get back into the router business.

Not sure I should pick up the lastest Airport Extreme now or not. I never bothered because my old APEextreme does the job.

But almost time for me to move to Wireless AC.
 
For the past eight years or so, I didn't have to play "router roulette". I've stuck with either a Time Capsule or AirPort Extremes and have had positive experiences. Here's hoping that they incorporate the AirPort technology into another Apple product.

Earlier this year, I thought I would see what other offerings were out there so I purchased the top of the line (read $400) Asus router. While it had a ton of antennas, I found the range to be mediocre compared to my existing two AirPort Extreme setup.

There were other problems with the Asus, as well. Namely, anytime I turned on QoS, every single device on my network (wired or wireless) was immediately throttled to ~200 Mbps regardless of the QoS bandwidth settings that were specified. That would be fine and dandy if the router wasn't attached to a gigabit fiber pipe.

Also, FaceTime was a disaster even when I was standing next to the router -- stuttering, freezing, "Reconnecting" messages all over the place. I sent the Asus back and went back to my dual AirPort Extreme setup and all the issues went away.
 
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skellener said:
Apple really is getting out of making computers and computer stuff. It's a sad day. :(

That being said, there's a much, much better product out there than Apple's Airport and Time Capsules. It's more Apple, than Apple. Get an Amplifi router for your home. I got one and the throughput is amazing! Better than my Time Capsule ever was! Superior in every way. My wifi delivers the same speed as if I was wired to it. I did a number of tests and they were astounding. So screw Tim Cook and Apple. :mad:

amplifi.jpg
Click to expand...

Too expensive for most people, and MESH is still new technology, never wise to spend that kind of money on a first generation product.
 
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Probably the worst router I've had to set up since you can't use a standard browser.

RIP
 
pat500000 said:
I'm with you. They need to kill Mac Pro and mini. If they continue with it, the quality might be worst.
Click to expand...
You forgot the part where they release macOS into the wild.
[doublepost=1479749680][/doublepost]
GIZBUG said:
Too expensive for most people, and MESH is still new technology, never wise to spend that kind of money on a first generation product.
Click to expand...
Except it effing rocks. I have one!
 
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I'm still using an old airport extreme and still don't find any reason to upgrade. I guess people don't upgrade Wifi machines as frequently as they upgrade iPhones
 
Welcome to the post-Apple technology sphere.

They are no longer pushing the homogenous Apple "it just works" ethos, and instead are running it from the Accounting department.

"Shoot the dogs and let the ponies run"

Hopefully they come out with a pony one of these years because it's been pretty much a decade and they could *really* use it.
 
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avanpelt said:
For the past eight years or so, I didn't have to play "router roulette". I've stuck with either a Time Capsule or AirPort Extremes and have had positive experiences. Here's hoping that they incorporate the AirPort technology into another Apple product.

Earlier this year, I thought I would see what other offerings were out there so I purchased the top of the line (read $400) Asus router. While it had a ton of antennas, I found the range to be mediocre compared to my existing two AirPort Extreme setup.

There were other problems with the Asus, as well. Namely, anytime I turned on QoS, every single device on my network (wired or wireless) was immediately throttled to ~200 Mbps regardless of the QoS bandwidth settings that were specified. That would be fine and dandy if the router wasn't attached to a gigabit fiber pipe.

Also, FaceTime was a disaster even when I was standing next to the router -- stuttering, freezing, "Reconnecting" messages all over the place. I sent the Asus back and went back to my dual AirPort Extreme setup and all the issues went away.
Click to expand...
That's disappointing. I guess it's a good thing mine still works. I may have to pick up another when they go on clearance.
 
MisterK said:
It's useful to remember than when Jobs returned to a struggling Apple, he cut dozens of products down to a four product quadrant. Consumer laptop/desktop, Professional laptop/desktop. As much as I love all my Apple products (including my AirPort Extreme) I can appreciate Apple's need to focus before their confusing lineup takes them back to becoming a struggling company.

There are a number of considerations Apple is likely to be (or should be) making all the time. As Moore's Law has progressed, I don't think that consumer/pro is the right product distinction roadmap for the "computer for all of us" company. In a couple of years, Apple's slowest computers will be enough for 95% of professionals. Is a better distinction "entry level" and "luxury"? Is a router (even one with a hard drive) needed? Is building it into the Apple TV, an Alexa type unit, or spreading its functions across devices a better idea (so each acts as a repeater)? Most modems from ISPs now come with a wifi router built in. What is the customer story for each of their devices? Where do they think they will best be able to compete in 3 years? 5 years?

Let's keep in mind that this is the world's most valuable company and they didn't get there by being dumb. Not saying they won't make mistakes but it's probably more interesting to figure out why they'd do what they are doing rather than expecting them to keep iterating on (and occasionally forking) existing product lines.

Too many people, including very smart Apple pundits, ask themselves the wrong questions about future product lineups; as if it's a given that it will be some model variation of what current offerings are. Apple can't think like that. They must question every product every year.

In 5 years Apple's lineup may look like:
MacBooks (the legacy work computer)
iPads (luxury and for work)
iPads for education (cheaper/rugged)
iPhone (the everywhere computer)
AR
Car
Accessories for each of those for stocking stuffers

That sounds like plenty enough to focus on without making routers.
Click to expand...

Spot on. And contrary to what many in this forum believe, it is folly to think the backlash in this forum is an expression of the market.
 
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