Petition calls for Apple to resume updates for discontinued AirPort routers

AppleInsider

The AirBorne vulnerability disclosed on Tuesday affects millions of products, including Apple's discontinued and fan-favorite AirPort routers. A petition hopes to change that.

AirPort Express was discontinued in 2018

While the Oligo report didn't discuss AirPort routers directly, the discontinued products are affected by AirBorne. The vulnerability can lead to wormable, zero-click exploits that can infect any connected device on a network with malware.

According to a petition filed on change.org by IT professional and developer Gary Longsine, AirPort routers that are still in use today will be rendered immediately obsolete without updates. Apple discontinued the routers in 2018 and provided the last firmware update in June 2019.

The petitioner argues that while other modern devices can be updated to patch the AirBorne threat, AirPort routers will likely never be updated. Longsine suggests the routers are still used widely because of their ease of use, performance, and durability.

Apple has issued patches for much older machines in the past if a problem is bad enough. There's a chance Apple will provide a patch to the most recent AirPort Express and AirPort Extreme models, petition or not.

Unfortunately, we're not expecting a patch.

Apple's responsibility

There aren't any numbers available to suggest how many active AirPort routers there are, but it is likely not an insignificant number. However, Apple may not consider it enough of an issue to address it with time and labor costs.

AirPort Extreme and Time Capsule are still useful products even without updates

Apple's AirPort Express, AirPort Extreme, and Time Capsule, especially the last models, aren't exactly dinosaurs. AirPort Express is Wi-Fi 4, but it is also the only one with an AirPlay audio bridge feature. And, it works really well, still.

AirPort Express may be old, but they have multiple Ethernet ports, USB port for attaching storage or a printer, and can achieve 500 megabits per second speeds. That's still faster than the average US home internet connection.

The Time Capsule still exists as one of the best options to use as a Time Machine backup system. Apple offers no first-party alternative to this or the AirPlay bridge feature.

So, the petitioner has a point. Rendering these products too unsafe to use could cause a lot of people to either disconnect and trash these perfectly-good devices, or leave unknowing individuals vulnerable to attack.

Perhaps this is yet another argument why Apple needs to get back into the router business. There just aren't any other products like it that can fit into the Apple ecosystem so well.

Still, beyond the ecosystem exclusive features like Time Capsule and AirPlay bridge, if you're using AirPort devices as a simple router, it may be time to finally upgrade. It is simply irresponsible to have your internet backbone built on a product that no longer receives security updates.

When we found it, the petition has 32 verified signatures of the starting goal of 50. It targets Apple and CEO Tim Cook as the decision-makers on the matter.



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iloveapplegear

Yes I still use time capsule ,works well, backs up my computer daily 

macxpress

I wish they still made them TBH. Fantastic devices that worked so well and was super easy to configure. 

sitime

I’m going to sign the petition as well. If for no other reason than to indicate to Apple my continued interest in AirPort. I absolutely loved the AirPort line of products. I don’t own any AirPort products anymore, but I would 100% fill my home with a mesh network of AirPort products if Apple were to make new ones. 

kmwaz

Just sold 10 of them. Switched to Unifi.  Just as expensive as Apple stuff, and they have a great array of products to complement, and just as easy to set up.  Plus side is the speed is much better, as is security, especially with today's Internet speeds which Apple can't match. 

sflocal

Currently, I still use seven Airport routers.  They've been running 24x7 with no reboot for 10+ years.  The dependability is why I went with them.  Best routers I ever bought.

Unfortunately I will be moving to Unify within the next 12 months I think.  They've had an incredible run.

xed

KMWAZ said:

Just sold 10 of them. Switched to Unifi.  Just as expensive as Apple stuff, and they have a great array of products to complement, and just as easy to set up.  Plus side is the speed is much better, as is security, especially with today's Internet speeds which Apple can't match. 

Sure, but Apple has been out of that market for a very long time. I still have many (about 8) of various types that all work perfectly fine and occasionally find a home for when someone needs adequate speed for free. Some were mine and others I took over them being discarded in hopes of finding a use for them.

I'm also in the UniFi camp: ceiling-mounted WiFi routers, PoE cameras, rack-mounted switch, and rack-mounted security camera RAID. It's a great system but I do wish Apple would've stayed in that market. I've said on this forum plenty of times that I think Apple got out at the worst time because most users seem to understand the need for a better system in their home. I think Apple could've made bank and I really hope that the rumors of the Apple HomeHub device also come with a new "whole home" level of networking equipment (assuming they don't hobble the software like they did with AirPort devices).

mikethemartian

I would buy a new AirPort router if they released one.

applezulu

Given the continued emphasis on HomeKit and privacy and security all these years later, it still doesn't make sense why Apple got out of the router business. There are a lot of Apple customers who would buy an Apple mesh router system in a heartbeat.

igorsky

I have an AirPort Express that I use to give AirPlay functionality to a pair of studio monitors. Works like a charm. 

macminion

Maybe Apple will be leapfrogging to a new network technology paradigm that is currently not used.  Involving using their own network chipsets.

eightzero

"However, Apple may not consider it enough of an issue to address it with time and labor costs." Really? A multi-trillion dollar company can't afford this? You know...to keep their customer base happy? Seriously, how much "time and labor costs" are we talking about?

edited May 1

maltz

The Airport routers were good, and I had one for a while.  They were VERY reliable... and that's about the only good thing I can say about them.  (Not to minimize that...)  They were some of the most expensive routers on the market while at the same time being among the least-featured.  That has its place, especially at the time, but honestly, if that's all you need, you can probably get by just fine with your ISP-provided router for free these days.  They're not the hot garbage they used to be, and you never have to think about firmware updates, etc.

sunman42

202 signers as of 12:30 PM EDT.

Compared with my ISP-provided router, configuring and using my Airport Express is day to the ISP's night. Simple, straightforward, and easy. And the Express itself is extremely reliable. And, anathema as it may be to courts everywhere, the express just works with Macs and iOS/iPadOS/tvOS systems.

And oh yes, having firmware updates pushed from outside my home by outfits with opaque security protections is not my idea of A Good Thing. Particularly when those outfits appear to exist only to increase customer costs every year above and beyond inflation.

xed

maltz said:

The Airport routers were good, and I had one for a while.  They were VERY reliable... and that's about the only good thing I can say about them.  (Not to minimize that...)  They were some of the most expensive routers on the market while at the same time being among the least-featured.  That has its place, especially at the time, but honestly, if that's all you need, you can probably get by just fine with your ISP-provided router for free these days.  They're not the hot garbage they used to be, and you never have to think about firmware updates, etc.

That’s apt.

bobolicious

"At any price, the Apple AirPort Express is a great DAC. It sounds great, with a completely silent background, full 2 V output, smooth detailed sound and full infrasonic bass response."

https://www.kenrockwell.com/apple/airport-express-audio-quality-2014.htm

I have four of these paired with various audiophile analog outputs and a TC for backups and I hope Apple will update the firmware in the name of 'sustainabilty'...

arichter138

eightzero said:

"However, Apple may not consider it enough of an issue to address it with time and labor costs." Really? A multi-trillion dollar company can't afford this? You know...to keep their customer base happy? Seriously, how much "time and labor costs" are we talking about?

The real issue isn't the cost of time and labor costs to fix this one particular issue, but the can of worms it opens up on every other product/sw that is beyond the last date of support that is found to have a bug/defect/vulnerability.  If Apple fixes this one, but not a different one later, how many class-action lawsuits get spun up against them using this as reference or precedent?

sitime

arichter138 said:

eightzero said:

"However, Apple may not consider it enough of an issue to address it with time and labor costs." Really? A multi-trillion dollar company can't afford this? You know...to keep their customer base happy? Seriously, how much "time and labor costs" are we talking about?

The real issue isn't the cost of time and labor costs to fix this one particular issue, but the can of worms it opens up on every other product/sw that is beyond the last date of support that is found to have a bug/defect/vulnerability.  If Apple fixes this one, but not a different one later, how many class-action lawsuits get spun up against them using this as reference or precedent?

This wouldn’t be precedent setting. And also that wouldn’t stop someone from filing a lawsuit anyway.

Apple has already provided security updates to products that were discontinued for a very long time. For example, on July 29, 2024 Apple released iOS 15.8.3 for the iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus. That update (at that time) was provided to the iPhone 6S/6S Plus just under 9 years after those iPhones were released and just under 6 years after those iPhones were officially discontinued.

There might be even better examples of even older products receiving updates from Apple. The iPhone 6S/6S Plus example was just the one that immediately came to mind when I read your comment.

Edit: Oh, yep, there was an even better example to use. Apple provided yet another update for the iPhone 6S/6S Plus. That update (iOS 15.8.4) happened just a few weeks ago (March 31, 2025). So that would have been 9 years, 6 months after release and 6 years, 6 months after being discontinued. 

There might still be even better examples. Anybody know of anything older than 9y6m/6y6m (release/discontinued)?

Edit 2: Even better example of the iPad Air 2 (the one released in 2014). It just got an iPadOS update (also on March 31, 2025) — 10 years and 4 months after it was released and 8 years and 10 days after it was discontinued. Okay. I’ll stop looking now. There might be an even better example, but 8 years after being discontinued is a good example to stop with, lol.

edited May 1

eightzero

arichter138 said:

eightzero said:

"However, Apple may not consider it enough of an issue to address it with time and labor costs." Really? A multi-trillion dollar company can't afford this? You know...to keep their customer base happy? Seriously, how much "time and labor costs" are we talking about?

The real issue isn't the cost of time and labor costs to fix this one particular issue, but the can of worms it opens up on every other product/sw that is beyond the last date of support that is found to have a bug/defect/vulnerability.  If Apple fixes this one, but not a different one later, how many class-action lawsuits get spun up against them using this as reference or precedent?

None. Class actions don't work that way. And oddly, if a plaintiff did try such a thing based on such a principle, it would be dismissed on summary judgment probably with about as much effort as it would take to...oh...just support this product. 

All this aside, maybe someone technically inclined can comment: is there anything technically impossible about Apple making the software/firmware for these things open source, or selling it for a reasonably price to a third party willing to provide support? Asking for a friend. 

dewme

I switched to Unifi six years ago but I still have my Time Capsule. I will be retiring it very soon because it’s very slow even with gigabit Ethernet. I turned off the WiFi and routing on the Time Capsule when I moved to Unifi. 

I have nothing but praise for Apple’s network gear. It was very reliable, easy to setup, and easy to extend. I think there is still a segment of users who would benefit from an updated version. But I’m not one of them because I love the modularity and configurability of the Unifi gear. As good as Apple’s network gear was, it wasn’t updated very often and usually lagged behind the newest network standards. From a reliability point of view, that made sense. 

Apple is deeply involved in so many product domains. Networking was one of many things Apple did. Unifi on the other hand exists solely to serve the networking and networking adjacent product domains. It’s not a side hustle for them, it’s their entire reason for being around. 

xed

djmikeo said:

I still use Apple Time Capsule tower routers. And would love to have security updates for them. I just signed the petition. 

Here is the Change.Org page for the petition.

https://chng.it/JbhDVqDL9n

I ultimately don’t care if Apple decides to update very old routers or not, but I do wonder if this sort of petition to try to force a private company to update AirPort products dating as far back as 1999 the intented use of change.org.

Also, I’ve read many things over the years about how this privately owned company using the non-profit top-level domain handles people’s data. I don’t think I’d sign a petition there even if was something I felt strongly about.