Apple is shutting its doors on the division that makes its AirPort wireless router products, according to a report from Bloomberg reporter and long-time Apple tipster Mark Gurman.
The shutdown is reportedly an effort to “sharpen the company’s focus on consumer products that generate the bulk of its revenue.” Gurman adds that over the past year, engineers from the division have been dispersed to other development groups, including the one handling the Apple TV.
Apple hasn’t refreshed its line of routers, which include the AirPort Express ($199 CAD), AirPort Extreme ($249 CAD) and AirPort Time Capsule — a $379 CAD device that doubles as a hard drive — since 2013. While the routers lag behind those created by competitors like D-Link and Netgear when it comes to adopting advances made in chip technology, they had a core demographic of users that appreciated its design and easy integration with Mac products.
Apple wireless router division also has an important place in Wi-Fi history, helping to popularize the concept of wireless networking with the debut of the original AirPort Base Station and iBook laptop. This move, if it indeed comes to pass, echoes Apple’s decision in October 2016 to stop making its own external monitors, instead entering into a sales partnership with LG.
If you’d still like to get your hands on an AirPort, the devices remain available on Apple’s Canadian site.
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