Apple Officially Cancels AirPower

[PickUrPoison]

Maybe I'm misremembering. Was it not announced ages ago? It's possible I'm not up to snuff on my Apple news. It just feels like we were waiting for this thing for a long time. Apple isn't know for vapor ware.

Announced 18 months ago (September 2017) to ship sometime in 2018. Anyone who expected it at each and every 2018 event probably did feel that there were many delays. But the only delay is between the missed deadline and the cancellation, i.e. less than three months.

Indeed, Apple is not known for vaporware, which is why this is so surprising and unusual. I think Apple will be unlikely to repeat the mistake anytime soon.

 

[Shanghaichica]

I disagree. Any company can try to do the improbable...would you call them innovative? When they actually DO something innovative then I can say they are innovative.

Me opening an LLC and trying to make a phone with faceid under the screen does not make my LLC innovative.

Theranos springs to mind here.

 

[Abazigal]

Interesting article by Steven Sinofsky.

https://medium.learningbyshipping.com/preannounce-12c2255cff33

The idea of pre-announcing a product at first seems really dumb. When you think about an action like this you often come to a conclusion that anything that seems dumb but happens often probably has some clever, and strategic, use for it. Pre-announcements are no different.

Food for thought.

 

[Chazz08]

It's time for a new CEO. Ever since Tim Cook took over and after Job's roadmap dried up, there have been very little NEW innovations coming from Apple. Most everything is copied from other companies. Sure, they copy Apple, too, but the only real innovation that Apple has accomplished was how advanced their Face ID is. I was truly hoping they would succeed on this, especially since they announced it. Who's idea, anyway, was it to announce a product that was only in the concept phase? What a disaster.

 

[cmaier]

It's time for a new CEO. Ever since Tim Cook took over and after Job's roadmap dried up, there have been very little NEW innovations coming from Apple. Most everything is copied from other companies. Sure, they copy Apple, too, but the only real innovation that Apple has accomplished was how advanced their Face ID is. I was truly hoping they would succeed on this, especially since they announced it. Who's idea, anyway, was it to announce a product that was only in the concept phase? What a disaster.

Oh stop it already with this nonsense. AirPods, faceid, iPad Pro, Apple Watch, etc. etc. are all post-Jobs innovations. This was NOT a failure of innovation. It was a failure of EXECUTION. It failed BECAUSE it was innovative - nobody had done it before, and apple couldn’t get it done.

And Steve Jobs had failures of execution as well. “You’re holding it wrong.” Cracked mac cubes. Original macs with not enough memory. Etc. etc.

 

[Chazz08]

Oh stop it already with this nonsense. AirPods, faceid, iPad Pro, Apple Watch, etc. etc. are all post-Jobs innovations. This was NOT a failure of innovation. It was a failure of EXECUTION. It failed BECAUSE it was innovative - nobody had done it before, and apple couldn’t get it done.

And Steve Jobs had failures of execution as well. “You’re holding it wrong.” Cracked mac cubes. Original macs with not enough memory. Etc. etc.

It's not nonsense. It's fact. Get off your Apple fanboy horse and admit that Apple has fallen. That doesn't mean Apple can;t fix their direction. The first step to positive change and recovery is admitting where your wrong and fixing it, as Steve Jobs did or would try to. (Also, did he announce concepts for products as publicly as this one? no. But if fanboys and Apple continue you're line of thought, it's just continuing down hill. And really? Failed because it was innovative? No. Failure and giving up is NOT innovation. iPad Pro? Innovation? No. It's a suped up regular iPad. Airpods? No. It was a wireless bluetooth headset that many other companies have versions of, and some of which are better. The AppleWatch I'll give you because I already said they've had very few innovations since Tim became CEO. I apologize for not listing all of their very few innovations. I'll list a few. Metal is impressive and their processors. There you go. That's about it.

 

[PickUrPoison]

Is it wrong to experience a sort of glee from reading all the agitated comments under this news? I am a big fan of Apple gadgets myself but sometimes Apple fans just plain irritate me with their mantras about how the apple_gadget_name is the future, is the best ever, and everyone should totally get it. Especially lately I noticed this craze about AirPods (there are people who just cannot securely hold Apple earphones in their ears, plus what sound quality are you talking about on in-ear headphones with very insignificant sound insulation, are you kidding me? how can this be called the best Apple product in years) and Apple Watch (it is a very fancy fitness tracker, I get it, but what if I don't like the look? what if watch face selection is too limited for me? why should I prefer a gadget that needs charging every day over my nice actual watches? stop acting like you're some sort of trailblazer when you're basically a dude that bought an iPod nano in addition to iPod classic).

Now the case in point, a wireless charger. Actually Nokia pioneered smartphones with wireless charging years ago, back then it was considered an unnecessary feature by Apple, and by myself too. I only realized how neat the feature was when getting an XR last year. But I don't need Apple to give me their wireless charger at a ridiculous price point. They didn't pioneer or even embrace the technology at first, meaning there are plenty of companies producing adequate chargers already - I got one for ~$15. AirPower, why so much hype about it?

It’s not Apple fans that are so agitated about this product being cancelled—it’s the Apple-haters.

For them, it’s just another chance to post “Timmy Crook needs to go”, “Apple can’t innovate anymore”, “Apple can’t even make a simple Qi charger like everyone else has already done”, “Apple products are overpriced garbage” and all the other Apple-hate claptrap. Most of them can barely contain their glee when they post about this misstep of Apple’s.

Oh well, Apple screwed up by pre-announcing so I guess they deserve all the grief they get. And all the haters can take pleasure in Apple’s failure, which seems to enhance their happiness and self-worth. Probably because their own failures now seem so small in comparison...

 

[antonis]

"High standards"...that was hilarious. Looks like it's too difficult to make keyboards and wireless chargers lately.

Anyway, rumours have it, physics called Cuppertino and said "NO!".

 

[PickUrPoison]

Mac Pro might also be cancelled

You’re probably the 40-50th person to post that, but none of you ever offers any reason or explanation for why you think that. Maybe you see a connection between AirPower and Mac Pro that I’m missing?

To me, it makes as much sense as saying iMac was just released, so Mac Pro will also be released. To which I’d say the same thing: “Really? Because I’m pretty sure one product has nothing whatsoever to do with the other.”

I mean, it’s not like Mac Pro needs a three-device, place-anywhere Qi charger in order to function.

 

[efktd]

What else is new. Apple seems more like let down than joy these days.

 

[PickUrPoison]

<snip>

Someone should have said no to the Airpower 30-coil beast years ago.

Nope. That’s absolutely, 100% incorrect. There’s nothing at all wrong with trying really hard to do something, yet ultimately failing in your effort.

Remember: If you’re afraid to try, you’ve already failed. You can’t succeed if you never try.

Some may fault Apple for being too ambitious, for attempting to do something novel, for trying to do something no one else had been able to do (and that no one may ever do). But I strongly disagree.

As far as I’m concerned, the only thing Apple can be faulted for is jumping the gun with the pre-announcement. But for that, no one outside the project might ever have even known about the (ultimately failed) attempt.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

On one hand I thought the AirPower was overpriced and that I might not get one since it doesn't have a stand to keep my iPhone upright or let me see my Apple Watch as a clock in the middle of the night, and on the other hand I'm disappointed that they couldn't make this work. They even referenced to it in the latest iOS update, didn't they?

Last year I funded Plux on Indigogo. This one device lets me charge all three apple devices at the same time, using an iPad 12 watt USB cube with their included USB A to C cable. While it's not as slick and integrated as the airpower would have been, it cost me about $40.

It charges my iPhone via Qi fast charger in the center, has a spot on one side to charge my Apple Watch after installing my Apple brand charge cable into the stand, and has another small Qi charger on the other side for an Airpods case that requires using a postage stamp sized charging coil that plugs into the case via lightning plug (and it comes with a silicone sleeve to hold the AirPods case and Qi coil for a neat tidy AirPods package).

It also has a removable stand that I use, so I can tap my nightstand and the movement will have my Apple Watch show me the time in nightstand mode.

I'm going to try this with AirPods 2 this week, and will continue to use it for as long as it lasts. https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/plux-charge-your-new-apple-devices-simultaneously#/

 

[Smartass]

Why are people surprised? Apple cant even make a decent keyboard

 

[Chazz08]

It’s not Apple fans that are so agitated about this product being cancelled—it’s the Apple-haters.

For them, it’s just another chance to post “Timmy Crook needs to go”, “Apple can’t innovate anymore”, “Apple can’t even make a simple Qi charger like everyone else has already done”, “Apple products are overpriced garbage” and all the other Apple-hate claptrap. Most of them can barely contain their glee when they post about this misstep of Apple’s.

Oh well, Apple screwed up by pre-announcing so I guess they deserve all the grief they get. And all the haters can take pleasure in Apple’s failure, which seems to enhance their happiness and self-worth. Probably because their own failures now seem so small in comparison...

I'm not an Apple hater, but I still disappointed as I own stock, and the way they've handled this particular product opens Apple wide up for lawsuits. Also, I do think Tim needs to go. Especially if he approved the announcement of a product that was only in the concept phase. Not to mention them adding it to the documentation of the products that are supposed to be able to charge of of it. I've lived Apple since I discovered them from their "I'm a Mac" commercials. But the last few years haven't left me hopeful. :-(
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On one hand I thought the AirPower was overpriced and that I might not get one since it doesn't have a stand to keep my iPhone upright or let me see my Apple Watch as a clock in the middle of the night, and on the other hand I'm disappointed that they couldn't make this work. They even referenced to it in the latest iOS update, didn't they?

Last year I funded Plux on Indigogo. This one device lets me charge all three apple devices at the same time, using an iPad 12 watt USB cube with their included USB A to C cable. While it's not as slick and integrated as the airpower would have been, it cost me about $40.

It charges my iPhone via Qi fast charger in the center, has a spot on one side to charge my Apple Watch after installing my Apple brand charge cable into the stand, and has another small Qi charger on the other side for an Airpods case that requires using a postage stamp sized charging coil that plugs into the case via lightning plug (and it comes with a silicone sleeve to hold the AirPods case and Qi coil for a neat tidy AirPods package).

It also has a removable stand that I use, so I can tap my nightstand and the movement will have my Apple Watch show me the time in nightstand mode.

I'm going to try this with AirPods 2 this week, and will continue to use it for as long as it lasts. https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/plux-charge-your-new-apple-devices-simultaneously#/

View attachment 829566

Nice! I'm going to check this out. Hope it works with the Airpods!
[doublepost=1554016191][/doublepost]

Nope. That’s absolutely, 100% incorrect. There’s nothing at all wrong with trying really hard to do something, yet ultimately failing in your effort.

Remember: If you’re afraid to try, you’ve already failed. You can’t succeed if you never try.

Some may fault Apple for being too ambitious, for attempting to do something novel, for trying to do something no one else had been able to do (and that no one may ever do). But I strongly disagree.

As far as I’m concerned, the only thing Apple can be faulted for is jumping the gun with the pre-announcement. But for that, no one outside the project might ever have even known about the (ultimately failed) attempt.

I totally agree. I'm not mad they tried. I'm annoyed with how it was handled.

 

[Analog Kid]

I'm not an Apple hater, but I still disappointed as I own stock, and the way they've handled this particular product opens Apple wide up for lawsuits. Also, I do think Tim needs to go. Especially if he approved the announcement of a product that was only in the concept phase. Not to mention them adding it to the documentation of the products that are supposed to be able to charge of of it. I've lived Apple since I discovered them from their "I'm a Mac" commercials. But the last few years haven't left me hopeful. :-(

As an investor, I hope you realize how incredibly trivial AirPower would have been to the corporate bottom line...

There's always lawsuits. Whatever this one turns out to be will be nothing more than a commercial break in the ongoing Qualcomm debacle. I can only hope I'm on a jury hearing a case about someone who went long on Apple convinced AirPower was going to make them rich...

 

[trifid]

Nope. That’s absolutely, 100% incorrect. There’s nothing at all wrong with trying really hard to do something, yet ultimately failing in your effort.

Remember: If you’re afraid to try, you’ve already failed. You can’t succeed if you never try.

Some may fault Apple for being too ambitious, for attempting to do something novel, for trying to do something no one else had been able to do (and that no one may ever do). But I strongly disagree.

As far as I’m concerned, the only thing Apple can be faulted for is jumping the gun with the pre-announcement. But for that, no one outside the project might ever have even known about the (ultimately failed) attempt.

There is a reason why Jobs said what he said, for every interesting idea, for 1000 ideas, you can't pursue them all, you lose focus, spend R&D, you have to choose, and be extremely focused. There is no justification for spending 2-3 years on a flawed concept, it should have been killed. Knowing when to say no was the genius of Jobs, it made Apple focus on the right things and not waste time and money in futile efforts.

 

[bruno7]

Apple officially re-introduces MagSafe, Matte Screen option and all the common ports to their entire laptop lineup.

No more TouchBars for their Pro laptops in the future, too.

All the dongles have been discontinued.


Well, this I'd like to hear one day.

 

[MDF314159265]

April fools...

 

[scoobydoo99]

Apple officially re-introduces MagSafe, Matte Screen option and all the common ports to their entire laptop lineup.

No more TouchBars for their Pro laptops in the future, too.

All the dongles have been discontinued.

Well, this I'd like to hear one day.

What a great day that would be!

I'd add:

The iPhone SE has been reintroduced with top-of-the-line chip, memory and camera (and still NO Face ID or 3D Touch)

 

[Chazz08]

As an investor, I hope you realize how incredibly trivial AirPower would have been to the corporate bottom line...

There's always lawsuits. Whatever this one turns out to be will be nothing more than a commercial break in the ongoing Qualcomm debacle. I can only hope I'm on a jury hearing a case about someone who went long on Apple convinced AirPower was going to make them rich...

Two years of research and development isn't trivial. Also, it still tarnishes Apple's image, thus effecting stocks negatively. And why would someone sure thinking Airpower was going to make them rich? The lawsuits would be because they have been promoting the product add working with several other products going add far as to include it in product documentation, like Apple Watch Series 4 and Airpods 2.

The lawsuits will be because of that. I think it's a dumb lawsuit, but people will sure because they bought the new Airpods that were released last week with a diagram of Airpower on the box. But yeah, lawsuits suck. Like I said, this one is different than Qualcomm. This fiasco will hurt their reputation which will cost quite a bit.

(Sorry if there are typos. I had surgery on my right hand and this swipe keyboard isn't the best. Lol)

 

[WatchFromAfar]

And Steve Jobs had failures of execution as well. “You’re holding it wrong.” Cracked mac cubes. Original macs with not enough memory. Etc. etc.

Ahhh, I get it now; you're saying Apple has always been terrible......

 

[bruno7]

What a great day that would be!

I'd add:

The iPhone SE has been reintroduced with top-of-the-line chip, memory and camera (and still NO Face ID or 3D Touch)

I totally forgot about SE! Yes!

Come one Tim! Show us SE2 and do it soon!

 

[Abazigal]

There is a reason why Jobs said what he said, for every interesting idea, for 1000 ideas, you can't pursue them all, you lose focus, spend R&D, you have to choose, and be extremely focused. There is no justification for spending 2-3 years on a flawed concept, it should have been killed. Knowing when to say no was the genius of Jobs, it made Apple focus on the right things and not waste time and money in futile efforts.

Apple is constantly experimenting with new products and ideas behind closed doors. You just don't hear about them, but that doesn't mean they aren't doing anything besides the products we already know of.

Let's put it this way. Had Apple not announced Airpower, this project would simply have died quietly and people would be none the wiser. The resources would still have been expended anyways.

People are just getting upset over nothing.
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Is it wrong to experience a sort of glee from reading all the agitated comments under this news? I am a big fan of Apple gadgets myself but sometimes Apple fans just plain irritate me with their mantras about how the apple_gadget_name is the future, is the best ever, and everyone should totally get it. Especially lately I noticed this craze about AirPods (there are people who just cannot securely hold Apple earphones in their ears, plus what sound quality are you talking about on in-ear headphones with very insignificant sound insulation, are you kidding me? how can this be called the best Apple product in years) and Apple Watch (it is a very fancy fitness tracker, I get it, but what if I don't like the look? what if watch face selection is too limited for me? why should I prefer a gadget that needs charging every day over my nice actual watches? stop acting like you're some sort of trailblazer when you're basically a dude that bought an iPod nano in addition to iPod classic).

It's not wrong, but if you were hoping that this is somehow some sort of indication that Apple is failing, you will be disappointed.

Like it or not, wearables are the future at Apple. You can deny it all you want, you can try to argue about how AirPods don't fit your ears or how you prefer Swiss watches, the sales numbers have spoken for themselves and Apple can't be stopped.

At the end of the day, one bets against Apple to their own detriment.

 

[PickUrPoison]

There is a reason why Jobs said what he said, for every interesting idea, for 1000 ideas, you can't pursue them all, you lose focus, spend R&D, you have to choose, and be extremely focused. There is no justification for spending 2-3 years on a flawed concept, it should have been killed. Knowing when to say no was the genius of Jobs, it made Apple focus on the right things and not waste time and money in futile efforts.

Hindsight is 20/20. It’s easy to say they shouldn’t have tried now that you know they failed. If Apple had released it next week and it became another $2-3 billion/year revenue driver, what would you be saying then? Not that they should have killed it years ago, amirite? But Monday morning quarterbacking is so easy.

They obviously came very close to releasing this product; it may even have been in production when Cook pulled the plug. Something came up at the very last minute. Something bad. Possibly safety related, who knows, but whatever it was, it was bad enough to get it cancelled without a second thought as to how it would look (from a PR standpoint). It’ll probably be awhile before the story gets told, but at some point it’ll come out.

PS. Jobs is no longer with us, but it seems rather presumptuous of you to think you know that he wouldn’t have taken a shot at AirPower. Personally, I think it’s exactly the kind of project he would have been “super excited” about; just the kind of magical Apple product that he loved to be a part of creating. But what do I know lol. However, one thing I do know is there’s no indication of 1,000 yeses. Somebody’s saying “no” a lot, and it’s definitely not Jobs.

 

[opeter]

Wow, how many comments. I was away for some days and now this.

I remember, how they announced it back at the end of 2017.