A new report by Bloomberg indicates it is end of days for Apple’s AirPort lineup of wireless routers. The report says Apple has been slowly shutting down the division over the last year, in a move to “sharpen the company’s focus on consumer products that generate the bulk of its revenue.”
Apple began shutting down the wireless router team over the past year, dispersing engineers to other product development groups, including the one handling the Apple TV, said the people, who asked not to be named because the decision hasn’t been publicly announced.
Apple currently offers three models of wireless routers, the $99 AirPort Express, the $199 AirPort Extreme, and the $299 AirPort Time Capsule. None of the three devices have been updated or refreshed since 2013. The devices are all still available from Apple and third-party retailers.
Earlier this year saw hope that Apple would refresh the AirPort Extreme and AirPort Time Capsule, as there were widespread reports of a temporary shortage of the devices. However, WWDC came and went with no announcement of new routers.
While other companies, such as Netgear and D-Link, usually rush to adopt new standards, seemingly releasing a new router every month, Apple has taken a slower approach to new tech adoption, instead preferring to integrate its routers more closely with its iOS and Mac devices, offering such Apple-only features as wireless music streaming. By dropping the routers, Bloomberg says, Apple runs the risk of making its product ecosystem “less sticky.”
Apple earlier this year ceased manufacturing its own external monitors, and an announcement in October saw the firm partnering with LG Electronics to offer a new lineup of 4K and 5K monitors aimed at professionals.
