Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Apple Watch Support in Apple’s Upcoming AirPower Mat Limited to Series 3 Models
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
What I also miss, is the bonus of a watch charging 2 inches nearer to an iPhone (that charges 70% slower than usual and can't be picked up)
Apple used to bring us things we didn't know we needed. But this is something we're sure we don't need. Airpower Mat is the symbol of Apple's imminent lack of innovation and increasing imbecility
You mean the current charger?
No, I don't think so.
But as far as I understand AW series 3 will work with Apple's AirPower, not with any Qi pad and that's a bad news, I don't care about charging all my appliances at the same time but being able to use the same pad to charge iPhone and Watch would be great
Schiller literally said in the keynote (1:43:17) 'you can place your series 3 apple watch on it, and it will start to charge as well.'
How is there any confusion over this?
How is there any confusion over this?
There is no confusion over that. Someone asked if regular Apple Watch chargers worked for iPhones.
I definitely agree that it sucks that it's not compatible with 0/1/2 watches, but it's obviously a different charging technology and I think it's great that Apple is FINALLY getting to something standard across it's devices.
I (would like to) believe that all "Series 0" Edition owners have been/will be secretly offered Apple Watch Edition Innards Upgrade Program membership.
For a "modest" fee, their watches are secretly upgraded to S3 (previously S2) hardware. Some precious metal mass may have been lost, as some of the cases had to be hewn out to fit the new components.
You see, the first Editions WERE worth $10k - $17k!
My guess is $169. Or maybe even more since they sell watch bands for more.
My question is why aren't these available soon? Why not until 2018? They had them in the demo area of the keynote. They have to be easier to make than many other items, and it seems the software is also in good shape.
Well, a bit annoying, but not a deal breaker for me, I never charge my watch s2 other than at night, and Im perfectly happy with the current solution. I want that matte for my desk though! charging the pods and the phone at the same time will be awesome. And as I said before, I hope they make a new inductive version of the pencil too. It always lays on my desk, and then when I need it it's empty.
I personally don't see that big of a benefit to charging this way. It takes what 2-3 seconds to just plug it in or set my watch in the dock on my desk? This is just a big puck to take up more room on my desk. Whatever floats your boat...
Not surprised but this is a deal breaker honestly. We just bought two Series 2 AW’s, and there is no reason to go to a Series 3 just to buy a $150+ charger. It would be nice for something to be surprising in a pleasant way every once in a while with stuff like this. Ugh.
Buy 6 of those chargers to make yourself a gigantic pad and bam.
$129 is not worth it for that minor feature.
Apple's loss. I would've considered buying the new AirPod case and the power mat (ie give them ~$200 more) to have the convenience of a single cord and condensed charging footprint. But I just upgraded to a Series 2 earlier this year and have no intention to upgrade to the 3. And I'm not going to add this large power mat and still have to keep my watch charging puck on my nightstand. The whole point is to free up space/cords, not add to it. They could've easily put their existing inductive charging tech into this mat.
My guess is the AW 3 has a chip in it designed to interface directly with this pad that the older models do not have. Qi as a standard doesn't support more than one device in this way, and is also probably why Apple wants to keep it proprietary.
It really sucks, I really want one of these pads, and I also want one of the new watches as I'm rocking a series 0 and really want waterproofing, but due to the high price of the stainless steel with LTE, I'm not really interested in going that route, and I really don't like that red crown. Only other option is the version without LTE, but you can't get this in stainless steel. Why Apple =/
It seems it's implied in the standard, but nobody's really implemented it: http://appleinsider.com/articles/17...-but-may-not-be-compatible-with-other-devices
"Qi also allows for free positioning to be implemented by inducing a magnetic field just at the location of the receiving coil with multiple cooperative flux generators. Devices put on a plate communicate their location, and the field is only induced under the device by the flux generators operating in tandem.
Apple appears to be using this method for a trio of devices that can be placed in any order, on any location on the pad."
Apple appears to be using this method for a trio of devices that can be placed in any order, on any location on the pad."
Also: https://www.wirelesspowerconsortium.com/technology/multiple-cooperative-flux-generators.html
Also from the Appleinsider article:
"Apple is a member of the Wireless Power Consortium, and has been since February. It has been using an off-shoot of the Qi technology in the Apple Watch prior to the Series 3, albeit made proprietary by MFi-based authentication.
The Wireless Power Consortium trumpeted the release of the technology in the iPhone 8, iPhone X, and Series 3 Apple Watch. In a statement, an executive for the group claimed that Apple's inclusion is paving the way to "ubiquitous access to wireless charging."
Apple cognoscenti John Gruber seems to think that Apple will share the technology it is using with the AirPower with the Qi members —but there is no obligation for the company to do so."
The Wireless Power Consortium trumpeted the release of the technology in the iPhone 8, iPhone X, and Series 3 Apple Watch. In a statement, an executive for the group claimed that Apple's inclusion is paving the way to "ubiquitous access to wireless charging."
Apple cognoscenti John Gruber seems to think that Apple will share the technology it is using with the AirPower with the Qi members —but there is no obligation for the company to do so."
So we shall see.
After half a decade of being behind other phone companies with wireless charging (So much for "moving where the puck is going to be"). All we get for our wait is boring old Qi. No revolution like witricity with near meteres of range, meaning you could hide your charger and have things charge from "thin air". All we get is mere milimetters of distance on what looks like giant sanitry pad. Worth the wait, it was not!
The original iPhone may well have been 5 years ahead of the competition, but its becoming crystal clear the competition is now 5 years ahead of Apple.
The original iPhone may well have been 5 years ahead of the competition, but its becoming crystal clear the competition is now 5 years ahead of Apple.
Exactly. This is why I so far prefer my Apple Watch charger from Apple which allows you to place the watch in nightstand orientation
Allegedly not entirely proprietary: http://www.iphonehacks.com/2015/11/...e-watch-only-works-with-its-own-chargers.html
[doublepost=1506766247][/doublepost]
From the outset of the first watch, I hoped they would do this for all the watches. Even if it were really an upgrade programme in some cases.