Apple Readying Third Generation AirPort Express?

Apple is readying a third generation AirPort Express, according to AppleInsider.

Although Apple's online store still reflects availability of "AirPort Express Base Station with 802.11n and AirTunes," authorized resellers like DataVision report that the same model (MB321LL/A) is discontinued, while Amazon estimates it will have new stock sometime in the next "2 to 5 weeks." Additionally, a person familiar with the matter says Apple is wrapping up the release of AirPort Utility 5.6, makes reference to a second-generation 802.11n AirPort Express in its developer notes: "Adds support for the AirPort Express 802.11n (2nd Generation) base station"

Apple recently updated its AirPort Extreme and Time Capsule devices with Broadcom chipsets. At the time Anandtech reported that "performance and range is definitely better thanks to more transmit power and the improved sensitivity afforded by newer generation chipsets. Second, the combination of lots of Broadcom in Apple's hardware lineup (from the iPhone, iPad, and MacBooks, to iMac and Mac Mini) with Broadcom in the access point likely allows for the use of frame bursting or some other packet aggregation technique that speeds things up in some scenarios."


Apple also gave the new AirPort Extreme a 2.8x power boost when broadcasting 802.11n Wi-Fi in 40Mhz wide mode.

Update:
Updated article to reflect that this would be third generation device and Apple's second 802.11n AirPort Express. [via @solace]

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