Apple has a new product in hand, and it looks like it’s focused on networks. The company has surrendered to the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) a device labeled “network adapter” for the entity to review and approve, something that under US law must be done before this device can be launched.
Many ports and even internal storage: this device is a mystery
This gesture leads the FCC itself to filter the specifications of the product to be reviewed, and these arouse our curiosity. Its model code is A2657, and this is what it has:
- Two Gigabit Ethernet ports
- One USB-C port
- Wireless
- Bluetooth
- NFC antennas
- 32 GB of storage
- 1.5 GB of RAM memory
- It runs firmware 19F47, which is an internal version of iOS 15.5.
- The FCC tested the device with an iMac and a MacBook Pro.
- The product has a battery.
Apparently there would be another cheaper model with a Lightning port instead of a USB-C port, and with 1 GB of RAM instead of 1.5 GB. we might be facing some sort of AirPort
Oddly enough, we also have 32 GB of storage and a bit of RAM, indicating that this device could take care of the processing of some tasks. Maybe we are considering a Wi-Fi mesh network module, or maybe there are functions that we can’t imagine yet.
Also consider what they comment on 9to5Mac: this may be an Apple internal and exclusive use device (maybe in repair centers) and therefore we will never see it. A device with all of these connections would make sense to techies now that most modern Macs only have USB-C ports.
Apple stopped selling networking devices when it discontinued the AirPort line in 2018. There’s been no sign of it returning to that market so far, but if it does, we’ll have experienced a “drought.” “four or five years.
