Google’s foray into the field of Wi-Fi routers appears to be proving successful. Google Wifi has come out on top in a test conducted by Allion USA, where it was pitted against Eero and Luma.
Google Wifi is a mesh router. Rather than using a single router for wireless connectivity, mesh systems use a group of routers communicating wirelessly to produce a single Wi-Fi network. This is meant to provide better coverage over larger areas. Mesh technology is the latest in wireless networking and has been tackled by a few other companies besides Google.
The results of the test were published in a blog post by Google. According to it, two units from each system were connected in a 3,000 square foot, two-story home. The Wi-Fi speeds were measured from four different locations in the house. Google Wifi posted the top speed at all four locations. The test was conducted using a MacBook Air.
Google Wifi also comes at the lowest price among the three systems at $299 for three units, or $129 for one. However, it remains unreviewed except by Allion, while Eero and Luma have been well tested and are well-known.
Currently, Google Wifi can be pre-ordered in the USA, and will be shipped in December.
Meanwhile, Apple Inc seems to be exiting the Wi-Fi router business. According to Bloomberg, Apple has shut down its wireless router team. Its engineers have been dispersed and reallocated to other product development groups.
The three variants of AirPort, Apple’s routers are AirPort Express, AirPort Extreme and AirPort Time Capsule. The Time Capsule also functions as a backup storage hard disk for Mac systems. Though the three models are still on sale, none of them has been updated since 2013.
Apple had also announced earlier this year that they would not be producing their own monitors. Instead, they have a deal for high-resolution screens with LG.
