Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
This kind of "wireless" charging is a gimmick. With a wire plugged in to my phone (or tablet) I can use it at the same time as it charges. With such "wireless" charging I'm stuck to only charging or only using.

I can't believe Apple actually decided to do this with their products... They used to be smart in the past. Now it's just market hype and to have feature parity with other brands, no matter how dumb a feature is.
Ridicolous
No one is forcing you to use one over the other.
Use what best suits your situation at the time.
 
  • Like
Reactions: centauratlas
This kind of "wireless" charging is a gimmick. With a wire plugged in to my phone (or tablet) I can use it at the same time as it charges. With such "wireless" charging I'm stuck to only charging or only using.

I can't believe Apple actually decided to do this with their products... They used to be smart in the past. Now it's just market hype and to have feature parity with other brands, no matter how dumb a feature is.

But they haven't taken that option away, you can still do that.
 
This seems like it's on purpose, just like the airpods were released way later, to boost sales in later quarters. I think I'm seeing a trend here. There's no real reason they couldn't have had the Airpower ready.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Agile55
This kind of "wireless" charging is a gimmick. With a wire plugged in to my phone (or tablet) I can use it at the same time as it charges. With such "wireless" charging I'm stuck to only charging or only using.
The wire is right there, though. Just unplug it from the mat and put it in your phone. Plug it back into the mat and lay your phone down when you're done. Is that too inconvenient or something?
 
This kind of "wireless" charging is a gimmick. With a wire plugged in to my phone (or tablet) I can use it at the same time as it charges. With such "wireless" charging I'm stuck to only charging or only using.
But they haven't taken that option away, you can still do that.
It's frustrating that Apple hasn't cracked the over-the-air "wireless" charging. I don't buy it either. A wire close to my phone but not plugged into it is not wireless. Although it makes sense that it had to go this way - we would've seen the tech somewhere else before the iPhone.
People and companies change their mind. This was 5 years ago. I'm willing to bet there are things you feel differently about now than you did 5 years ago.
I still feel they went the right route with calling the Apple Watch magnetic charging. If they didn't call Qi wireless charging it would be a totally different discussion, but that's how it's branded.
 
I came up with the name "AirPower" a long time ago here on MR and thought that would be the name of true ranged wireless charging via a transmitter, given the patent Apple had already filed. Well, maybe Apple will call that "Super AirPower"?
 
This is the product I am most excited about. Solved the bags of charges and cords problem. Easier on travel. Easier to remember to charge at home.

This looks awesome. Can't wait.
 
This kind of "wireless" charging is a gimmick. With a wire plugged in to my phone (or tablet) I can use it at the same time as it charges. With such "wireless" charging I'm stuck to only charging or only using.

I can't believe Apple actually decided to do this with their products... They used to be smart in the past. Now it's just market hype and to have feature parity with other brands, no matter how dumb a feature is.
It is mostly a gimmick now, but it will help lead to better wireless charging in the future once a way is figured out to make it efficient.
 
This kind of "wireless" charging is a gimmick. With a wire plugged in to my phone (or tablet) I can use it at the same time as it charges. With such "wireless" charging I'm stuck to only charging or only using.

I can't believe Apple actually decided to do this with their products... They used to be smart in the past. Now it's just market hype and to have feature parity with other brands, no matter how dumb a feature is.

If you think this is dumb, you should look at the stupid number of cables next to my bed. It's quite a bit of a pain to match and plug in all of them in the dark.

And I don't plug in my phone at my desk, because I don't want to unplug and re-plug it every time I move around. With this, it will basically stay at 100% charged all day. No more reason to charge it while holding ...
 
  • Like
Reactions: kdarling
To understand AirPower, think about AirDrop, AirPlay, AirPrint, AirPods, etc etc.

They all work over the air. So too, will AirPower. Apple's just easing you into it with the mat.
 
Last edited:
They weren't sure it was the best route at the time. They explored it and sadly the industry hasn't seen much innovation in that time.
...
People and companies change their mind. This was 5 years ago. I'm willing to bet there are things you feel differently about now than you did 5 years ago.

The difference is, Apple doesn't just say they're checking something out.

Instead, Apple is infamous for publicly dissing any feature they don't have (yet) that others do. Unfortunately, many people repeat this obvious marketing drivel as if it were gospel... right up until Apple flips their stance.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Pete011
The thing is, I don't think they flipped their stance. Apple will use Radio Frequency technology in their AirPower ecosystem. They came out with a mat first, because - well, they're Apple. Slow and steady... No product recalls, no real mistakes... but no real "wows" anymore. Only a gradual... "ahaaa", as everyone starts to realize that AirPower is Wireless Power Transmission at a distance.
 
The difference is, Apple doesn't just say they're checking something out.

Instead, Apple is infamous for publicly dissing any feature they don't have (yet) that others do. Unfortunately, many people repeat this obvious marketing drivel as if it were gospel... right up until Apple flips their stance.

Read that quote again. "it's not clear..." That's not a no. That's a statement that they weren't sure. They didn't know if it'd be the best option. So they explored it and when 5 years later the industry failed to advance wireless charging, they decided that the current option was the best option at the time and went with it.

They did not diss it. They simply said they weren't sure if it was the best option. Saying you're not sure about something isn't a diss by any stretch of the imagination.
 
Wireless charging is pretty pointless, as the device has to sit on it, I can use my wired phone whilst charging, it also makes little sense for the Nightstand mode on Apple Watch. This attempt was a bit desperate.
 
Wireless charging is pretty pointless, as the device has to sit on it, I can use my wired phone whilst charging, it also makes little sense for the Nightstand mode on Apple Watch. This attempt was a bit desperate.

You aren't required to use it. If you don't find it useful, don't use it. Many of us do find it useful to simply set our phone in the center console in our vehicles without the need for the added action of plugging it in. It's also nice to simply set it on you coffee table without the need to take the time to plug it in and then unplug when we want to take off. It cuts an additional action out of our lives.

Yes, you can use your phone while charging with the cable and that's still possible with the new iPhone. But for those that don't need to use their phone while charging, it makes life easier. Throw it on the coffee table and it charges while you aren't using it. Pick it up to check a text and it doesn't but who cares as you don't likely NEED the power but charging is helpful to keep things topped off. Set it back down on the table and you're charging again.

I don't see the harm in having this added ability.
 
  • Like
Reactions: andresandiego
I wonder if the new iPhones would charge wirelessly on the Apple Watch magnetic stand.
 
While I welcome the benefit of inductive charging, AirPower is not an appropriate name. Not much air between the pad and the devices...maybe a few molecules.

This kind of "wireless" charging is a gimmick. With a wire plugged in to my phone (or tablet) I can use it at the same time as it charges. With such "wireless" charging I'm stuck to only charging or only using.

You can still use it and charge it at the same time because 1) the lightning port is still there, and 2) some company could make a corded charger with a magnetic disc like the Apple Watch charger which would allow you to charge while holding. But now we have the added benefit of being able to plop our devices down in various places (different places around the home, work, car) and not have to fiddle plugging in/unplugging with two hands every time. I know for myself, this would especially save me a bit of hassle every time I get in and out of my car, since I always keep my phone plugged in while driving. Maybe gimmick to you, but very useful for me. As useful as actual wireless charging? No. But still useful.
 
So what are we thinking for a price range? $129? $159? I mean the Apple Watch one they sell is freaking $79!!! This has to be &129-199 right?
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.