Apple's product range includes everything from desktop and laptop computers to tablets, phones and accessories. Honestly, that's a lot, but there's one thing they don't do anymore that really should be reintroduced. Apple used to make its own router, the AirPort series, and it's high time it did it again. Every device in the Apple ecosystem relies on consistent wireless signals, and the AirPort is what's missing to connect everything together.
5 It is a missing part of the ecosystem
Imagine having a HomeKit-enabled router powering your smart home
The individual devices Apple designs are only part of the picture. What keeps Apple owners coming back is the tight ecosystem between the devices, the operating systems they run, and the apps they run. Many of the features in the ecosystem, from AirDrop to Continuity Camera and Sidecar, rely on a fast, stable Wi-Fi connection to function effectively. Because Apple heavily markets these features when selling new devices, Wi-Fi connectivity is too important to leave to third parties.
But it's more than just WiFi. A new AirPort could integrate Ultra Wideband for Find My, HomeKit, and Matter and Thread border routers for smart home control. Currently these are handled by an Apple TV or HomePods, but not everyone leaves these on all the time. Almost no one turns off their router because internet access is a necessity for most of our jobs and entertainment purposes. Ultra Wideband can also be used for setup purposes to optimize Mesh Notes for maximum WiFi coverage in your home.
4 Drive Wi-Fi 7 adoption
WiFi is finally fast enough for Apple
One of the big changes to the iPhone 16 lineup is the upgrade to Wi-Fi 7. This will bring the fastest Wi-Fi standard into the hands of millions of users and boost sales of compatible routers that were previously limited to early adopters. When the AirPort line was discontinued, the fastest wireless version was Wi-Fi 5, which made things like Time Machine backups over the network a long overnight process.
With Wi-Fi 6, 6E, or 7, the same backup can be accomplished in a relatively short amount of time because Wi-Fi is now faster than Gigabit Ethernet. It also won't experience the congestion issues that Wi-Fi 5 is prone to in multi-family homes, ensuring that a Wi-Fi 7 AirPort router will provide the level of service Apple demands. The 6 GHz bands used in the newer standard are currently barely used and will take a few years to become overloaded. This means better interconnectivity between your Apple products and user satisfaction is never a bad thing.
3 Seamless Time Machine backups
It was amazing to have backup storage on your router
For me, the best AirPort version is the Time Capsule. This is an all-in-one wireless router with network storage and it was fantastic. Effortless Time Machine backups over the network, created while you're not using your devices. While you can set up Time Machine on many NAS devices, third-party devices often experience strange issues when connecting to Apple devices, especially when sharing storage over a network. iCloud backups aren't a perfect solution either, especially if you back up multiple devices or have a Mac with more than 2TB of storage.
A new Time Capsule could even be all-flash storage, making storing backups and files even faster. With the Wi-Fi speed improvements, Wi-Fi will be similar to or even faster than Gigabit Ethernet, and the device could have 2.5GbE or even 10GbE ports, as some of the desktop Mac models have have this option. You could even back up your iCloud to local media, which would be great if you didn't have to download things over the internet every time you wanted to access it.
2 Apple values user privacy
Other router manufacturers are not as demanding
Apple has long been committed to user privacy and security, which is incredibly important as the gateway between your home network and the Internet. No matter what device the company announces, sections of the presentation will be dedicated to privacy or security features and upgrades. When the UK government looked at ways to bypass end-to-end encryption last year, Apple told it it wouldn't matter and even threatened to block access to services in the UK if the proposed ones changes would be implemented. This is exactly the type of company you want to design your network equipment.
1 Router designs suck
In most cases, routers are ugly or lack features
With a few notable exceptions, routers aren't designed to be pretty. That's probably why so many of us try to hide them in cupboards, cupboards or behind the TV, which is one of the worst things you can do for good WiFi signal strength. The AirPort line was different, be it the earlier flying saucer design or the short, rounded, square design that still lives on in the Apple TV and Mac mini lines. The closest consumer router manufacturer that offers the same level of viewable design and user-friendly software is Eero, which Apple probably could have acquired not long after deciding to discontinue the AirPort line. Imagine Eero without the level of data collection Amazon is known for, with built-in iCloud Private Relay and the ability to automatically back up your devices with Time Machine, all in a beautiful design. This is something I would love to own, but I can't because I won't go back to Wi-Fi 5, the fastest Wi-Fi standard used in an AirPort router.
It's time to bring back the AirPort range
When Apple pulled out of the consumer router market in 2018, it was before the introduction of Wi-Fi 6/6E and Wi-Fi 7. The design sense of later AirPort models still lives on, with clean white towers and small mesh -Node pucks from most router manufacturers. At the same time, there are fewer router designs coming to market, so an AirPort could potentially recapture some of the market, especially if it's a mesh tri-band system.