AirPower Misses Promised 2018 Launch, But Might Not Be Canceled

[69Mustang]

Also...Do you happen to know if the current crop of chargers are truly UL Listed?

Qi Certified is the term you're looking for here. Underwriters Laboratories does the Qi Certification. The WPC keeps a database of certified products. If anyone has a question about their charger's bonafide's, it's pretty easy to check. https://www.wirelesspowerconsortium.com/certified/

 

[gavroche]

I agree. This product would have sold if released alongside or at least very soon after the iPhone 8/X launch which were the first iPhones with wireless capabilty. Right now, like you said, anyone with an Apple phone who wanted wireless charging already has one, at a fraction of the price this thing would cost.

I have to disagree with this thinking. Apple charges such a huge premium for their accessories... that me thinks to most people who buy them, price isn't their primary concern. Or at all for some. To people that would plop down the $100 or whatever it will be to buy one, do we really think that already having some cheap $10 one is going to impact them getting the newest, best one?

 

[Shaggymax]

Patiently waiting for Airpower and Airpods V.2....

 

[69Mustang]

I really don't understand why there is an issue releasing this product..... Lot's of other companies have pads that will charge multiple devices at once.

No other company has released a charger that can charge multiple devices AND have random placement of those devices. Multi-charging is a solved issue. Random placement? Not so much. Apple is shooting for the random placement. Why? Who knows, but it is what they're shooting for with AirPower.

 

[fokmik]

You actually want a wireless pad? But are waiting for a premium one.... you know there are premium charging pads out there if just want to throw $$$ away. They All do the same thing . You can pay a lot more than an Apple lightening cable if you want “premium”

what are those ? im not price sensitive

 

[bobob]

I wish apple would just announce products when they are ready to ship .. none of this ships 6 months to a year later

You're in luck - - that's their most common strategy!

 

[NMBob]

Given what they've called their phones and iPads the last few years I think it has been finished for a while, but the committee can't decide what to name it.

 

[44267547]

It's too late. A lot of people don't care about this product anymore. They took too long. Everyone has a wireless charger or two already.

It’s not too late, and it easily could be a success if implemented properly. And where did you come up with ‘A lot of people don’t care about this product anymore?’ I’m willing to believe the general consumer had no idea Apple even mentioned the AirPower, which was briefly during a keynote. I mean, there was hardly any marketing for it. If Apple releases the AirPower at some point, it will be unique enough for some to appreciate its capability. I think it’s fair to say you can’t speak for everyone or Apple either.

 

[JRobinsonJr]

Wish they would just release the AirPods wireless charging case first

Exactly! Given that they've release the iPhone to support conductive charging there is not reason for not releasing other products. The fact that Apple can't manage to build a charging pad should be an embarrassment, but doesn't give a rational justification for not building it into other lines.
[doublepost=1546446179][/doublepost]

It’s not too late, and it easily could be a success if implemented properly. And where did you come up with ‘A lot of people don’t care about this product anymore?’ I’m willing to believe the general consumer had no idea Apple even mentioned the AirPower, which was briefly during a keynote. I mean, there was hardly any marketing for it. If Apple releases the AirPower at some point, it will be unique enough for some to appreciate its capability. I think it’s fair to say you can’t speak for everyone or Apple either.

While "a lot of people" is subjective, the fact is that 2 cycles into iPhones that support wireless charging does mean that MANY of the people interesting in it will have already explored options and found that Apple doesn't provide one.

Would an Apple AirPower release be a hit? Probably. People would find it to be "magical".

 

[Gorms]

What features can you add to a charging mat? HomeKit integration? Push Notifications?

I didn't know I wanted it, but I will now be sorely disappointed if the AirPower comes out and doesn't have HomeKit integration and push notifications.

 

[johnnygee]

I doubt we'll ever see it. With so many competing products out there, there's no money in it for Apple. Personally, I use a Samsung cradle for my iPhone Xs Max.

 

[Will.O.Bie]

Better to take a 100 years to release a product and do it right, than rush it out and have it spontaneously blow up in your face next to your night stand.

 

[BoricuaHec01]

I wanted a premium pad so I waited patiently but my patience slowly deceased so I opted to the Nomad Charging Base Apple Watch Edition and couldn't be happier.

 

[dannyyankou]

What features can you add to a charging mat? HomeKit integration? Push Notifications?

There’s a “/s” hidden in that post, haha

 

[44267547]

the fact is that 2 cycles into iPhones that support wireless charging does mean that MANY of the people interesting in it will have already explored options and found that Apple doesn't provide one.

Three iPhones support wireless charging, the 8, XR and XS. Regardless, no one can make any judgement calls, I would say at minimum, if Apple releases this product perhaps during the 2019 iPhone release, with adequate marketing, it has its appeal for multiple device charging and _should_ be successful in its own right. As I mentioned, if it’s implemented appropriately. It really depends on one’s attraction to this device and if they see the initial benefit.

 

[mossandfog]

Longtime reader, recent poster.

It's undeniable that Apple is in decline. Their products are so much weaker than they should be. A TRILLION dollar company can't fix a wireless charging mat? Unreal. I know they'll be some eye rolls, but Steve Jobs wouldn't have stood for such pitiful stuff.

 

[dannyyankou]

Better to take a 100 years to release a product and do it right, than rush it out and have it spontaneously blow up in your face next to your night stand.

Even better to not announce it until it’s ready

 

[The Don Onez]

So you don't have one, yet they are all cheap. Sheesh.

YEAH BABY.
THE BEST OR NOTHING
[doublepost=1546440968][/doublepost]
i dont have, i wait for the premium one, not some cheap devices
ONE PAD TO CHARGE THEM ALL

 

[44267547]

Better to take a 100 years to release a product and do it right, than rush it out and have it spontaneously blow up in your face next to your night stand.

Absolutely. It could have been a catastrophe if Apple had released the Airpower, where it it was rumored to have issues with the internal coils overheating. I would rather have them not release/delay the product until it’s mature and ready, versus release a product that has the potential to be a safety hazard in a home.

 

[furi0usbee]

In other news, Apple is making great strides in watches and self-driving cars. Stay tuned.

 

[Kanyay]

Thank you Kanyay, very cool!

anything for the fans!

 

[ThisBougieLife]

AirPower: Apple’s most notorious vaporware?

They bit off more than they could chew with this thing. They may have promised us a product that’s impossible.

 

[furi0usbee]

Longtime reader, recent poster.

It's undeniable that Apple is in decline. Their products are so much weaker than they should be. A TRILLION dollar company can't fix a wireless charging mat? Unreal. I know they'll be some eye rolls, but Steve Jobs wouldn't have stood for such pitiful stuff.

Yeah, remember that whole "Steve never would have done it like that" meme? Well, it would have been funny if not totally true. Sure Steve cared about profits, but he also cared about product, having been a co-founder. He understood profits would come by innovating and creating great products. Basically, build a better phone, and they will buy. It kinda always worked that way.

Remember Antenna Gate? He held a press conference and gave away bumpers. I remember downloading the Bumper app and getting mine. Under Tim, iPads that are bent out of the box are totally normal. That bend is a feature, not a defect. Come on man...

Under Tim, it's really, buy this phone because it has an Apple logo on it, and it's chic. It's the best $1000 you'll ever spend, until next year.

It's no surprise my excitement in Apple started to die when Jobs himself died. Tim is a businessman first in my eyes. Steve was all about crazy ideas that just might work.

 

[Romeo_Nightfall]

YEAH BABY.
THE BEST OR NOTHING
[doublepost=1546440968][/doublepost]
i dont have, i wait for the premium one, not some cheap devices
ONE PAD TO CHARGE THEM ALL

Actually every wireless charger can charge them all. Even powermat can’t charge more than 3 devices at a time

 

[mtbgtr]

They just waiting for someone else to figure it out then they will release a white version of it and call it an innovation that costs 10X more.