Why didn’t Apple buy eero instead of Amazon?

“Amazon announced today that it is acquiring popular mesh Wi-Fi company eero, with a focus on integrating its smart home technology,” Chance Miller writes for 9to5Mac. “This announcement comes almost a year after Apple officials exited the router business, discontinuing its AirPort hardware line.”
“Did Apple miss out on a huge opportunity?” Miller writes. “It’s not necessarily acquiring eero that’s a missed opportunity for Apple. What is a missed opportunity for Apple, however, is not being involved in the recent wave of seemingly consumer-friendly, mesh Wi-Fi systems. As Bradley Chambers argued last December, Apple exited the home Wi-Fi market at exactly the wrong time.”
“In 2019, there are so many ways an Apple-branded mesh networking system could improve the experience of Apple devices. Integration with HomeKit, HomePod, and Apple TV could be incredibly seamless. Apple’s privacy-focused attitude would be a welcomed voice in the consumer Wi-Fi category. Imagine a HomePod-like or AirPods-like setup process for your router and various access points,” Miller writes. “To me, it feels like there’s a hole in the Wi-Fi hardware market for consumers.”
eero’s 2nd generation Home Wi-Fi System (1 eero + 2 eero Beacons)
 
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Most people aren’t going to make the extra effort to learn about Wi-Fi hardware, spend extra money and install it. They’re just going to settle for whatever rented device(s) their ISP offers. In fact, as owners of their own Wi-Fi hardware know, the ISP usually doesn’t go out of their way to help with such setups. That’s likely why Apple exited the business. The market is just too small and the cost of educating consumers as to why they might want something better than their ISP’s rented box(es) is too high.
Until or unless we see something negative about Amazon’s ownership of eero, we’ll continue to use and recommend the very Apple-esque eero Home Wi-Fi System which offers tri-band WiFi radios, simultaneous 2.4GHz, 5.2GHz and 5.8GHz wireless. 2×2 MU-MIMO, Beamforming, IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac, and more.
SEE ALSO:
Amazon.com to buy mesh wi-fi system-maker eero for an undisclosed amount – February 11, 2019
Apple exited the home Wi-Fi market at the wrong time – December 31, 2018
Apple removes all AirPort products from online and retail stores – November 17, 2018
How to set up your home network for many Apple TVs, Macs, iPhones, and iPads – June 12, 2018
Apple begins to sell out of AirPort base stations – May 17, 2018
Requiem for the AirPort base station: A testament to everything Apple was and isn’t anymore – April 27, 2018
Apple makes yet another short-sighted decision: Apple has discontinued a product that it should have made a cornerstone of its home automation and entertainment ecosystem – April 27, 2018
Apple’s decision to discontinue AirPort products is the wrong decision at the wrong time – April 27, 2018
Apple pulls plug on AirPort Wi-Fi router business – April 26, 2018
eero’s new mesh WiFi system packs more power in an Apple-esque design – June 29, 2017
AppleInsider reviews eero Wi-Fi: ‘A solid option for Apple’s outgoing AirPort’ – February 27, 2017
With eero, you can kiss slow Wi-Fi goodbye forever – February 10, 2017