For reasons not yet clear, Apple appears to be recalling all AirPort Extreme and Time Capsule base stations from its US retail stores, and may have suspended its Personal Pickup service, at least temporarily, from a variety of stores around the country. Despite a recent firmware update to some models of AirPort, the pulling of the units could be to ensure compliance with some new sales restrictions on older equipment that takes effect on June 2. It is also possible that the devices could be refreshed at or around the Worldwide Developers Conference in mid-June.
The FCC ruled in 2014 that certain kinds of routers approved under an older rule must now meet higher security regulations. The new rules have been phased in since then, but Apple may be pulling all units from store shelves in an abundance of caution to ensure that the units meet the requirements. The products appear to be still available at non-Apple resellers, like Best Buy, and outside the US, according to checks by
MacNN staff.
The recall, first noticed
by MacRumors, could also mean that Apple plans to replace the products with new versions -- both the TC and Airport Extreme have only received software updates over the past three years -- or conceivably Apple could opt to discontinue the products entirely, though this would be surprising. More likely for the AirPort Express is a new model upgraded with 802.11ac support, which Apple has introduced to several of its products, but not to the Airport Extreme as of yet. There is, however, no explanation for the at least partial suspension of Personal Pickup, other than for the products that may soon be replaced or unavailable.
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