The uncertain future of the Apple wireless network is becoming clearer with Proxima, a new component that could well revive the spirit of the famous AirPort routers. Mark Gurman has just lifted the veil on Apple’s plans for home connectivity, and if the direct return of the AirPort range is not news, other interesting prospects are emerging.
A sophisticated home chip for 2025
Apple is actively preparing the deployment of its first network chip called Proxima. This component, developed internally, is intended to equip several of the brand’s products from 2025, including Apple TV, HomePod, iPhone 17 and certain Macs. This initiative marks an important step in Apple’s strategy of independence from Broadcom, its current network technology supplier.
The most interesting part lies in the advanced capabilities of Proxima. According to Mark Gurman of Bloomberg, this chip is sophisticated enough to potentially transform a HomePod or an Apple TV into a wireless access point, like what Google offers with its connected speakers integrating Wi-Fi router functions.
A future network hub in preparation
If Apple is not working directly on a new AirPort router, the firm could well offer an alternative in the form of a smart home hub. Rumors always mention a device equipped with a quality speaker and a screen, capable of displaying various information such as time, weather or widgets, similar to the iPhone’s StandBy mode but more advanced. .
This future product, potentially planned for 2025-2026, could integrate the Proxima chip and serve as a Wi-Fi repeater while providing other home automation functions. Apple is also reportedly considering developing a Face ID-compatible connected doorbell for family member authentication.
For those nostalgic for the AirPort range, which disappeared in 2018 after having revolutionized the configuration of home networks since 1999, these new directions show that Apple has not abandoned its vision of simple and integrated connectivity. The major difference lies in the approach: rather than offering a dedicated router, the brand seems to favor the integration of network functionalities within multifunction devices. If there is AirPort, it will be integrated into a HomePod.
