Apple's Airport Extreme: Why Did It End?

Apple's AirPort Extreme was the company's primary Wi-Fi router, with the sixth and final generation released in 2013. However, the AirPort Extreme and its AirPort counterparts were discontinued in 2018, marking Apple's exit from the wireless router market. This decision came as Apple disbanded the team responsible for its routers in 2016 and began selling third-party routers in 2018. While the AirPort routers offered sufficient speed and connectivity, they failed to stand out in a competitive market, with rivals offering faster speeds and improved performance.

Apple's AirPort routers were discontinued in 2018

The original AirPort Base Station was released in 1999, with an update in 2001 that added a second Ethernet port. The first AirPort Extreme Base Station was released in 2003 and included an external antenna connector and a USB port. In 2004, Apple released a version of the AirPort Extreme Base Station that supported Power over Ethernet (PoE) technology, allowing up to 50 users to connect to the device simultaneously.

The AirPort Express, a portable router with additional features such as music playback and charging capabilities for iPods, was released in 2004 and updated in 2008 and redesigned in 2012. The AirPort Extreme remained Apple's primary Wi-Fi router and received a new design in 2007, improving the wireless standard from 802.11b/g to 802.11a/b/g/n. This new design was labelled as the first generation of the AirPort Extreme, with the previous model being considered the "original". The second generation of the AirPort Extreme was released in the same year and introduced Gigabit Ethernet.

The third and fourth generations of the AirPort Extreme were released in 2009, followed by the fifth generation in 2011. These models introduced antenna improvements and the ability to use Time Machine for backing up Apple computers to external devices. The AirPort Time Capsule, released in 2008, was an Apple router with a built-in hard drive for backups. In 2013, the AirPort Time Capsule received a redesign, becoming a rectangular tower model, while the AirPort Express took on the shape of early Apple TV models.

Despite the AirPort routers offering sufficient speed and connectivity, they were discontinued due to the availability of superior alternatives on the market. Other routers offered faster speeds and improved performance at more competitive prices. While the AirPort routers were easy to set up and had an attractive design, they lacked standout features to compete with the growing mesh Wi-Fi systems that offered improved coverage and functionality.

The last AirPort Extreme iteration was released in 2013

The 2013 version of the AirPort Extreme, also known as the sixth generation, introduced a new tower model with a rectangular shape and increased size. This update also added speed and additional USB ports. However, despite these enhancements, Apple decided to discontinue the AirPort Extreme and its related products, the AirPort Express and AirPort Time Capsule, in 2018. The discontinuation was not unexpected, as Apple had not released any hardware updates since 2014 and had disbanded the team responsible for developing the routers in 2016.

The AirPort Extreme and its AirPort brethren were known for their ease of setup, attractive design, and sufficient speed and connectivity for most households. However, they faced competition from other routers on the market that offered improved speeds and performance at more competitive price points. Apple's decision to exit the wireless router business allowed them to focus on devices that generated more revenue. While the AirPort Extreme may no longer be in production, its legacy lives on as much of the technology developed for it has been incorporated into other Apple devices.

Apple disbanded the team responsible for AirPort in 2016

The disbandment of the AirPort team was part of internal changes at Apple, which saw engineers moved to other teams and projects within the company. These changes suggested that Apple had no plans to update its lineup of routers, as the former AirPort engineers were reassigned to teams working on products like the Apple TV.

The AirPort team's disbandment came after Apple's portable AirPort Express failed to update to the latest wireless standard, remaining available with last-generation performance. Additionally, the AirPort Extreme and Time Capsule had not seen updates since 2013, lagging behind new network technology.

Following the disbandment of the AirPort team, it took Apple two years to stop producing its Wi-Fi routers, and they were officially discontinued in 2018.

While the AirPort line of routers offered sufficient speed and connectivity for most households, they failed to stand out in the market. They were more expensive than other routers with similar specifications and offered slower speeds. As a result, Apple decided to shift its focus to devices with better sales performance.

AirPort routers were more expensive than competitors

Apple's AirPort routers were discontinued in 2018. The last update to the hardware was in 2013, and the last firmware update was in 2019.

While Apple's AirPort routers were reliable, they were also more expensive than other routers with similar specifications. The AirPort routers were easy to set up and had an attractive design, but they did not stand out in terms of speed and connectivity.

The AirPort routers' lack of competitiveness in the market was likely a factor in Apple's decision to discontinue them. Other routers offered faster speeds and improved performance, providing consumers with more attractive alternatives.

Despite being more expensive, the AirPort routers had their advantages. They were simple to set up, and their design was relatively attractive compared to other routers on the market. However, these benefits were not enough to make the AirPort routers best sellers.

In the end, Apple likely made the strategic decision to exit the router market and focus its resources on devices with stronger sales performance.

AirPort routers were easy to set up and had an attractive design

Apple's AirPort routers were known for their ease of setup and attractive design. The AirPort Express, AirPort Extreme, and AirPort Time Capsule offered built-in Time Machine backup support and AirPlay functionality, making them popular among Apple enthusiasts.

The AirPort Utility app and iOS Wi-Fi Settings integration simplified the process of setting up and managing AirPort routers compared to the complex apps of third-party routers. The AirPort Express, for instance, allowed users to turn any stereo into an AirPlay speaker with line-in, and share USB printers across the network, making them accessible from Macs.

The AirPort Time Capsule stood out for its automatic backup feature, which wirelessly backed up a Mac using Time Machine. The AirPort Extreme offered a similar functionality, allowing users to connect a USB hard drive to their network.

While the AirPort routers offered sufficient speed and connectivity for most households, they were relatively expensive compared to other routers with similar specifications. However, their ease of setup and aesthetically pleasing design made them a popular choice for Apple users.

Although Apple discontinued the AirPort line in 2018, the technology lives on in other Apple devices. The work on the AirPort Express router contributed to the development of AirPlay and AirDrop, and the AirPort Time Capsule played a role in the evolution of Time Machine functionalities.

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