The well-known reporter Mark Gurman in his latest Power On column on Sunday said that as part of restarting the Mac business, Apple should re-develop its own home WiFi router.
Five years ago, Apple’s Mac business was a mess, but it’s different now, Gurman said. Apple has released a series of latest Mac models based on its self-developed chip, the M1, and has reintroduced standalone displays. He believes Apple should do more to strengthen its Mac lineup and start selling WiFi routers again.
In 2016, Apple allegedly disbanded the AirPort router team, and in 2018 stopped selling AirPort altogether. Apple’s online store now sells Link’s mesh routers that support Apple’s HomeKit home platform.
But Gurman argues that current wireless router setups are still not friendly enough to integrate with the iPhone as well as AirPort and Apple’s AirPort Utility app. An Apple-designed mesh networking system with its own software and deep device integration could become a hit, keeping people away from rivals Google and Amazon.