When Steve Jobs came back, he killed off a bunch of accessories - printers, cameras, Newton, etc etc. Apple isn't in dire straits as they were them, but just like how back then their printers and cameras weren't innovative, neither are their routers now

Killing off accessories is fine. But if they're not focusing on that anymore, and no new Macs in ages, what the hell ARE they focusing on?

iPhones, watch bands, $300 books and iPhones. Oh, and also iPhones.

Don't forget iPad Pros! Yep, we're all gonna replace our computers with iPads! The Post-PC era is here folks!

Yeah the book thing kind of ruins any supportive argument doesn't it

The book is probably a case of somebody working on it to make a handful of copies to satisfy somebody's ego. Selling more copies is just gravy.

To be fair, I'm sure the margins on a $300 book are much better than the margins on a $200 piece of electronics.

> just like how back then their printers and cameras weren't innovative, neither are their routers now

Nothing Apple has done lately is really innovative. Their value is taking something the "commodity" manufacturers already do, and doing it right (for more money). That's precisely where the Airport Express sat. Pay a little more, never have to worry about it.

Same with phones, same with computers, same with tablets.

Dongles.

I literally burst out laughing when I read your comment, which seems kinda apt with the new MBP, although we know it's not what Apple is focusing on. :)

P.S.: I realize this comment may not be in line with HN etiquette

Is it really? Apple makes some wildly successful products, and will apparently put more focus on those. Seems fine. I personally found out that Apple makes (made) routers through this post, so maybe they're not a huge deal.

I think there's two possible problems with their strategy

1) ecosystem. the more co-operating products you have, the more likely you are to keep people in your ecosystem. There's been quite a few posts here about people who are/were "all apple". That only works when Apple produce a wide enough range of products. As they shrink, there's a greater risk of more people going to other ecosystems.

2) "all your eggs in one basket". Obviously Apple are focusing on iOS devices and rightly so they're massively profitable. However focusing in one place leaves you at risk if that product line declines and you can't diversify fast enough. Tech. history is littered with examples of this like Blackberry.

I'm not so sure about that.

AirPorts worked really nicely when consumer Wifi stations were rather hit-and-miss than foolproof (anecdotally).

Now wireless stations are bundled with all sorts of broadband service accounts, and given Apple's market share, are probably pretty much expected to "just work" with their hardware.

Aren't wireless routers now just a commodity that incorporates very little chances to add actually value adding features?

It's about the ecosystem. in fact, it's about the perception of the ecosystem.

All of the changes - decaying Mac Pro, mediocre gimmicky MBP, end of this, end of that, confusion over Titan, Watch, which no one cares about - all suggest that Apple has lost the concept of brand and product synergy.

It looks trivial but it's actually fatal, because it undermines the perception that when you buy Apple you're buying Special.

Now you're just buying. And when a company is selling overpriced commodity hardware, it absolutely needs to convince its customers that it's offering more than that.