Apple's Airport Express: Still A Thing?

Apple's AirPort Express was discontinued in 2018, with the last significant upgrade to the product being in 2012. The AirPort Express was unique in that it included an audio jack, a feature not found in other wireless routers. As such, there is no direct replacement for the AirPort Express. However, there are alternative options available that offer similar capabilities.

One option is to set up a new wireless router and purchase AirPlay-capable speakers, such as Apple's HomePod or HomePod mini, or speakers from companies like Sonos, which support AirPlay 2. Alternatively, if you wish to continue using your existing speakers, you may be able to plug them into a receiver or find an AirPlay 2 adapter that is compatible with your current AV receiver.

Apple discontinued the AirPort Express in 2018

The AirPort Express was a wireless router with a unique feature: an audio jack. This allowed users to connect the device to speakers and play audio through them. However, the device was never able to compete with other routers on the market, which offered faster speeds and better performance.

In 2016, Apple disbanded the team that worked on the AirPort line, and two years later, the product was officially discontinued. While the AirPort Express may not have been a stand-out product, it did pave the way for other Apple technologies such as AirPlay, AirDrop, and Time Machine.

If you still have an AirPort Express, you can continue to use it, as Apple still provides firmware updates to keep the device secure and functioning. However, if you are looking for a replacement, you will need to invest in a new wireless router and speakers that support AirPlay.

Some alternatives to the AirPort Express include:

• A new wireless router and a HomePod
• AirPlay-compatible speakers from companies like Sonos
• An AirPlay 2 adapter, such as the Belkin SoundForm Connect

The AirPort Express was unique as it included an audio jack

Apple discontinued the AirPort Express in 2018, but it may still be available from select retailers. The AirPort Express was unique because it included an audio jack, making it the only wireless router with audio output capability.

The AirPort Express can be used to extend Wi-Fi from a wireless router and can also act as an access point, sharing its wireless connection with up to 10 devices. It has two Ethernet/LAN ports, one for connection to a PC or network and the other for a wired connection to a modem or Ethernet-based network. It also has a USB port for connecting a non-network printer.

The audio jack on the AirPort Express is a 3.5mm mini-jack port that can connect to powered speakers or, via an RCA connection adapter, to a soundbar, sound base, stereo/home theatre receiver, or audio system with analog stereo audio inputs. The AirPort Express can access music or audio streamed from an iPhone, iPad, iPod, or iTunes via a computer and, using AirPlay, play it on connected speakers or audio systems.

The AirPort Express has its own built-in DAC, but it can also be used with another DAC via a Mini TOSLINK cable. It delivers fantastic audio quality with full 2 V RMS output and can be easily configured to play music in different rooms of a home. Its audio output is superior to Bluetooth in terms of sound quality, but it is more difficult to set up.

The AirPort Express was last significantly upgraded in 2012

The 2012 AirPort Express was a wireless router that offered dual-band wireless performance and, for the first time, an Ethernet port. This was a significant upgrade as it allowed the device to be used as a gateway for a home network with both wired and wireless clients. The device supported dual-stream 802.11n wireless networking, meaning it could broadcast signals in two spatial streams on each of its two frequency bands (2.4GHz and 5.0GHz). This gave the router an effective speed of up to 300Mbps on each band.

In addition to the new LAN port, the 2012 AirPort Express also featured a WAN port, a USB port, and an audio port. The USB port could be used for remote printing, while the audio port could be used to stream audio from any iOS device or iTunes-equipped computer connected to the router's network to a set of externally powered speakers. This audio output capability was unique to the AirPort Express and set it apart from other wireless routers on the market.

While the 2012 AirPort Express offered improved functionality and performance compared to the previous model, it lacked some features found in other dual-band routers in the same price range. For example, it did not support external storage devices, Gigabit Ethernet, or the latest 802.11ac wireless standard. Despite this, the 2012 AirPort Express was a capable option for Apple fans looking for a simple networking device.

The AirPort Express can be replaced with a wireless router and a HomePod

Apple discontinued the AirPort Express in 2018, and the last significant upgrade to the product was in 2012. The AirPort Express was unique in that it included an audio jack, a feature not present in other wireless routers. As such, there is no direct replacement for the AirPort Express. However, you can achieve similar capabilities by setting up new equipment.

If your AirPort Express creates your wireless network and plugs into speakers, you will need to replace both your Express and your speakers. You can set up a new wireless router to replace the Express and replace your current speakers with AirPlay-capable speakers. AirPlay is a technology developed by Apple that allows Macs, iPhones, and iPads to send audio, video, and photos to compatible devices. There are many wireless router models to choose from, such as the Eero Pro wireless router.

Apple would like you to buy one of their own AirPlay-compatible devices, such as the HomePod or HomePod mini, and connect them to the wireless network created by your new wireless router. However, many other companies sell AirPlay speakers, such as Sonos. When choosing a speaker, make sure to buy one that supports AirPlay 2, which Apple introduced in 2018. AirPlay 2 allows you to send music from your Mac, iPhone, or iPad to multiple speakers located in different rooms of your home. Through Apple's Home app, you can group speakers together to play different music on different speakers in different rooms, allowing AirPlay to behave like a multi-room audio system. Sonos offers a range of AirPlay 2 speakers, including the One SL and the battery-operated Move, which is rated for both indoor and outdoor use.

If your AirPort Express does not create your wireless network, you don't need to buy a new wireless router. Instead, you can simply buy one or more HomePods.

If you want to continue using your existing speakers, you might be able to plug them into a receiver. You could buy an AirPlay 2-compatible AV receiver or find an AirPlay 2 adapter that plugs into your current AV receiver, such as the Belkin SoundForm Connect.

AirPlay-compatible speakers can be used to replace the AirPort Express

Apple discontinued the AirPort Express in 2018, and its last significant upgrade was in 2012. The AirPort Express was unique because it included an audio jack. It is the only wireless router that includes this kind of audio output capability. Therefore, you can't find a direct replacement for the AirPort Express. Instead, you'll need to set up new equipment that gives you similar capabilities.

If your AirPort Express creates your wireless network and plugs into speakers, you'll need to replace both the Express and the speakers. You could set up a new wireless router to replace the Express and replace your current speakers with AirPlay-compatible speakers. AirPlay is a technology developed by Apple that lets Macs, iPhones, and iPads send audio, video, and photos to AirPlay-compatible speakers, TVs, and other entertainment systems.

Many companies make AirPlay speakers, including Apple's HomePod and HomePod Mini, and Sonos' One SL and Move. When choosing a speaker, make sure it supports AirPlay 2, which Apple introduced in 2018. One of the key features of AirPlay 2 is the ability to send music from your Mac, iPhone, or iPad to multiple speakers located in different rooms of your home. Through Apple's Home app, you can group speakers together to play different music on different speakers in different rooms. This allows AirPlay to behave like a multi-room audio system.

If your AirPort Express does not create your wireless network, you don't need to buy a new wireless router. Instead, you could simply buy one or more HomePods.

If you want to continue to use your existing speakers, you might be able to plug them into a receiver. You could buy an AirPlay 2-compatible AV receiver. Alternatively, if you can connect your existing speakers to an AV receiver, you might be able to find an AirPlay 2 adapter that plugs into your current AV receiver so you can access your speakers via your Mac, iPhone, or iPad. Belkin offers the SoundForm Connect AirPlay 2 adapter.

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