AirPower was a wireless charging mat developed by Apple Inc. It was designed to charge up to three Qi devices, such as an iPhone and AirPods, and an Apple Watch simultaneously. It was announced on September 12, 2017. Originally planned to be released in early 2018, it was cancelled on March 29, 2019.[1]
History
AirPower was announced at a media event held in September 2017 at Apple's Steve Jobs Theater, in conjunction with the announcement of the iPhone 8, iPhone X, and Wireless Charging Case for AirPods.[2][3] Following the event, prototype models were available to attendees for hands-on testing.[4]
Retraction
Immediately after another media event held the following September, Apple removed almost all mentions of AirPower from its website.[5] There were reportedly several development issues that led to this decision, with heat management, inter-device communication and speed, and mechanical and interference issues.[6] Reportedly, the main engineering issue came from including coils for two charging standards, as the Apple Watch uses a proprietary non-Qi standard, leading to the generation of excess heat and electromagnetic interference.[7]
Replacement
In early 2020, rumors started circulating about Apple planning to release an "AirPower 2" alongside the 2nd-generation iPhone SE.[8][9][10][11] However, such speculation was unfounded as Apple instead introduced MagSafe Chargers for the iPhone 12 later that year.[12]
References
- ↑ Panzarino, Matthew (2019-03-29). Apple cancels AirPower product, citing inability to meet its high standards for hardware (en-US). TechCrunch.
- ↑ "The future is here: iPhone X", Apple, September 12, 2017. Retrieved on 2017-09-12.
- ↑ "Apple iPhone 8 event live blog", The Verge, September 12, 2017.
- ↑ Where the heck is Apple’s AirPower wireless charging mat? (en-US). TechCrunch.
- ↑ "After No Sign of AirPower at Today's Event Apple Wipes Most Mentions From Website, however the latest iPhone XS models come with a guide which mentions AirPower.". (in en)
- ↑ Loyola, Roman (September 17, 2018). Apple AirPower wireless charging pad: Overheating, engineering issues could doom it forever. MacWorld. IDG. Retrieved on 2018-10-21.
- ↑ Su, Jean Baptiste. 2 Reasons Why Apple Canceled Its AirPower Wireless Charging Mat: Analysis (en). Forbes.
- ↑ iPhone 12/12 Pro, Apple Watch Series 6, HomePod mini, & AirPower coming back? by Brian Tong, April, 14, 2020
- ↑ AirPower: Maybe Not so Dead After All? by Juli Clover, August 21, 2020.
- ↑ AirPower project back on, 'prototyping underway' by David Price, 23 March 2020
- ↑ Exclusive Apple Watch 6, AirPower 2020 & iPhone SE 2 Leaks! by EverythingApplePro EAP, April 12, 2020
- ↑ MagSafe kills any hope for AirPower by Tailosive Tech, YouTube. 2020-10-15.
External links
- Quelques images d’un prototype d’AirPower (French) at Le Journal du Lapin (2021-01-09)
- AirPower (charging mat) at Wikipedia
