From: Brian Pearce (bpearce_at_cloud9.net)
Date: Fri Feb 28 2003 - 21:44:59 PST
I thought this post from Macintouch might be of interest:
<http://www.macintouch.com/wirelesslanreader15.html#feb28>
"Strange as it may seem today, given Wi-Fi's success, Apple did not
believe that Wi-Fi would reach cost and size targets that would make it
suitable for Newton, which was the focus of the company's wireless
attention at the time. Apple also was concerned about interference and
congestion in the 2.4 GHz band, which Wi-Fi shares with microwave ovens
and industrial applications.
With 802.11 standards development dragging on for years, and no end in
sight, Apple petitioned the FCC for an alternative.
Ultimately Apple requested and received three different bands -- two at
2 GHz and one at 5 GHz -- for unlicensed data communications. But after
Apple spent millions on lobbying and R&D, Steve Jobs nixed a proposed
spinoff to bring wireless LAN products to market. This happened around
the same time that the Newton spinoff was cancelled. Ultimately,
802.11b -- an internationally recognized standard -- snowballed and
Apple began a new, compatible effort that became Airport."
BRIAN/bpearce_at_cloud9.net
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