Apple may be preparing to put the AirPort brand to rest with Lion: they’ve changed references on OS X 10.7 from “AirPort” to “Wi-Fi” universally across the system. But why?
As TUAW notes:
The change resolves a common issue for Mac neophytes, who often search in vain for Wi-Fi controls on their new Macs only to find something confusingly called AirPort.
I doubt that’s the only reason, though. More likely is that Apple is ready to consign the Airport brand to the dustbin of history. Supplies of Airport routers are already constrained. Maybe Apple has a relaunch in mind… maybe those Time Capsules running iOS and A5 CPUs we heard about.
John Brownlee is a writer for Fast Company, and a contributing writer here at CoM. He has also written for Wired, Playboy, Boing Boing, Popular Mechanics, VentureBeat, and Gizmodo. He lives in Boston with his wife and two parakeets. You can follow him here on Twitter.
12 responses to “Is Apple Winding Down The AirPort Brand Ahead Of New A5 & iOS Equipped Routers?”
and the product name?
Wi-Fi Extreme? LOL
I bet it’s a refresh of the AirPort… hopefully closer to the $100 price point rather than $180 (phew!).
Still, I’m buying a pair of AirPorts soon so I’d like to know more about this…
I think if your dumb enough not to see the Wifi logo in the top right on the menu bar, that you have to search endlessly for wifi settings…I say you should get a dial-up hub and a PC and climb back under the rock from which you came. C’mon Apple, everything doesn’t have to be idiot proof.
Side note: If this is actually confusing people, I’d rename Safari, The Internet!
“AirPort” was originally used because Apple was a pioneer in having it in their computers and they needed a snazzy name for what was at the time, not only a rare thing, but their “zero setup” implementation of it.Â
Now it’s years later and every computer has it and they are all “zero setup” devices. Â Makes sense to me that they would drop the name now that everyone is on the same page.
I will float my idea again: we are going to see a Time Capsule, with ADSL router, iOS 5, some apps (iTunes…), which will act as a home media centre, talk to and be controlled by your iPad and output to new Airport Express for HiFi and Apple TV for movies.
I just bought, like, today, a Time Capsule – I shall be upset if there are new AirPorts and things coming so soon.