Best Alternatives to Apple's Now-Canceled AirPower

[sinsin07]

The Palm Pre did this in 2009! You'd lay it down on the charger and the phone would center itself and charge. No trying to align anything.

Time would of been better spent aligning their software and hardware.
[doublepost=1553993163][/doublepost]

I'll bet it wasn't an engineering obstacle that axed the AirPower charger, but a business one.

The engineering obstacle created the business one.

There's too many wireless chargers available today that do virtually everything the AirPower promised at a fraction of the cost.

Virtually is not the same as exactly. Apparently they weren’t satisfied with virtually.

There's a $39 one on this list that'll charge all three devices. Who would want to buy a $149 charger from Apple that essentially does the same thing?

Again, essentially doesn’t equal exactly.
Who would want to buy a $149 charger?
You can start with the numerous people in this thread of 63 pages and and 1558 posts for your answer:
Apple Officially Cancels Airpower
And thats just covers the tech enthusiast, not JQ Public who may not even have known this was a project.[/URL]

 

[Palliser]

Call me old fashioned but I just use a cord. I tried a wireless charger once and returned it because half the time it wouldn’t work. Cord is fine, and they’re cheap.

 

[Kabeyun]

Helpful article, thanks.

After finally passing the frustration threshold charging my 8 with a lightning night stand, I decided to go wireless. Went with the MQOUNY because:
- Nightstand instead of flat mat, so I can see the phone
- Built-in watch charging puck (those that make you use yours are lame)
- Charges my AirPods too
- Fast (7.5 W) wireless
- Comes with a charging adapter & USB-C cable (beware, some don’t; also lame)
- Available in black
- Might be cheap Chinese, but it’s got overheat protection and is CE/FCC certified

 

[MDF314159265]

I’d sure feel like Apple owes me if I just bought the new AirPods 2 with the wireless charge case right about now…

Some of you seriously don’t trust Belkin products?? Really?

Belkin has been in the game forever.

I’ve known people who’ve worked for Belkin who wouldn’t recommend their own products. Mid-level management folks....

 

[Mzjrabbiit]

Vinpok actually has a good one it’s called plux. You can change it standing or laying down

 

[PinkyMacGodess]

Yep, true. I keep several cables handy. They do fail.

The way I work makes using a mat just another thing in the way. Multiple hour conference calls requiring charging in front of the computer are now necessary since the time iPhone has been reduced from 2 to 1 ports. It was much less obtrusive when a cable was all that was needed for charging, now a cable and mat in front of the computer.

And I travel enough that at times I can't remember where I am. Having the charging pad with a light on helps enough to find the dang thing. But, yeah, I have to carry two power bricks, two cables, and two 'pucks' for the iPhone and AW, but the convenience, to me, makes them a necessity. But to each their own. I totally understand. I can see traveling with fewer things as I get older...

If I had to use the iPhone for conference calls, I could see where things would be different.

 

[NM08SRT8]

I hate these manufactures don’t throughly think about their design to accommodate watches with bracelet bands.. all the stupid lay-flat designs don’t work for everyone.

 

[tekfranz]

I’d sure feel like Apple owes me if I just bought the new AirPods 2 with the wireless charge case right about now…



I’ve known people who’ve worked for Belkin who wouldn’t recommend their own products. Mid-level management folks....

Belkin used to be a budget brand at the local Office Supply Store. I am thinking of mainly of their routers and Laptop Accessories. Also their USB-C to Ethernet Adapter has awful reviews on the Apple Website.

 

[Ghost31]

I'll bet it wasn't an engineering obstacle that axed the AirPower charger, but a business one.
There's too many wireless chargers available today that do virtually everything the AirPower promised at a fraction of the cost.
There's a $39 one on this list that'll charge all three devices. Who would want to buy a $149 charger from Apple that essentially does the same thing?

If they made business decisions based on things like this, HomePod wouldn’t exist.
[doublepost=1554005198][/doublepost]Wasn’t the nomad one $120 just a few days ago? Wonder if they increased the price since apple announced AirPower was dead

 

[Gudi]

These don’t have overlapping coils and therefore lack the main advertised benefit of AirPower.

It‘s up to the customer to decide whether there is any meaningful difference.

 

[MisterSavage]

And I travel enough that at times I can't remember where I am. Having the charging pad with a light on helps enough to find the dang thing.

One of the reasons I like my Belkin charging pad is that the light only goes on when you first place the phone on it. And then it turns off. It’s funny how people‘s preferences are different!

 

[rushad88]

Apple on Friday made the unprecedented move of canceling work on the AirPower, the wireless charging mat that was supposed to charge the Apple Watch, iPhone, and AirPods all at once.

There are already a number of AirPower-like alternative products on the market, and we're likely going to be seeing additional replacements in the future. None of these accessories do exactly what the AirPower promised because there are dedicated spots to charge each device, but each option will charge more than one device at one time.

1. Nomad Base Station Apple Watch Edition ($139) - Nomad's Apple Watch Base Station has an Apple Watch charging puck for charging the Apple Watch, along with a double coil Qi wireless charging pad. You can use the wireless charging pad to charge the iPhone horizontally, but if you put the iPhone vertically, it frees up a little spot for charging the AirPods, so all three devices charge at one time. We reviewed the Nomad Base Station and liked it quite a lot, though it is quite expensive.

2. Belkin Boost Up Wireless Charging Dock ($127) - This is another expensive dock, but it's another that we reviewed and liked quite a lot. Belkin's Boost Up Wireless Charging Dock has an upright charging space for wirelessly charging an iPhone and a space for the Apple Watch, but this isn't a dock suitable for the AirPods. Still, it's a good option for dual device charging.

3. SliceCharge 2 Wireless Charging Mat ($60) - The SliceCharge 2 has an Apple Watch charging puck in the middle and two wireless charging coils at the sides, so you can either charge two iPhones or an iPhone and an AirPods 2 Wireless Charging Case. It's affordable, slim, and supports 7.5W wireless charging for the iPhone.

4. ZENS Dual + Watch Wireless Charger (99 euros) - The Dual + Watch Wireless Charger from European company ZENS is another option that we recently reviewed and were impressed with. It has a stand for charging an Apple Watch, along with a base that can wirelessly charge two iPhones at one time. It's 99 euros which is pricy, but ZENS does ship worldwide. This dock is temporarily out of stock, but it's coming back in May.

5. NytStnd AirPods Trio ($109) - The Nytstnd will charge your AirPods, Apple Watch, and iPhone all at once, but there's a catch - there's no wireless charging for AirPods. The Apple Watch charges via a standard Apple Watch charging puck (that you supply), while there's a wireless charging pad for iPhone, a Lightning port for AirPods, and one extra Lighting port. On the plus side, you can charge all three items at once and there's also an extra spot for storing keys or other odds and ends. You also don't need the new AirPods 2 with Wireless Charging Case to use it.

6. Unravel Wireless Charger ($99) - This interesting little charger features three charging stations, one for AirPods, one for Apple Watch, and one for iPhone. You can lay them flat or roll them up in a configuration that works for you if you only need to charge two devices at once. We haven't tried this, but it's a neat design and the reviews look to be largely positive.

Affordable AirPower Alternatives From Amazon

If you go to Amazon and type in "AirPower" or "Wireless Charging Station" you'll see a whole slew of cheap wireless chargers that promise to charge your Apple Watch, iPhone, and AirPods all at once. We haven't tested any of these options and can't verify whether they work, and at these price points, there's no way they're using Apple-certified components.

Still, if you're looking for an alternative to the AirPower that's super affordable, these might be what you want. We'll list some of the options that are getting better ratings below.

[*]Conido Wireless Charging Station ($42) - This charging station has an upright charger for the iPhone, an Apple Watch charging puck with stand, and a slot for charging the AirPods, but with Lightning instead of wirelessly.
[*]OLEBR Charging Stand ($39) - The OLEBR is similar to the Conido, but it uses Lightning for the iPhone and the AirPods while offering a charging puck for the Apple Watch. So this one isn't wireless at all, but still charges multiple devices at once.
[*]MQOUNY Wireless Charger 3-in-1 ($39) - This stand is rather compact, offering an upright wireless charger for the iPhone, an Apple Watch charging puck, and above that, a holder for the AirPods that charges them over Lightning.
[*]Bestand 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Stand ($48) - This wireless charging stand has an upright wireless charger for the iPhone, a charging arm for the Apple Watch, and a Lightning connector for charging the AirPods.
[*]IBIS 9W Dual Wireless Fast Charging Station 3 ($40) - There's no space for the Apple Watch on this one, but it will charge your iPhones and your AirPods with Wireless Charging Case.

More Charging Options

The iPhone and the AirPods Wireless Charging Case will work with any Qi-based wireless charger on the market, so there are an endless number of single device wireless chargers you can get as well.

Feedback

Have a favorite AirPower alternative that we didn't list here? Let us know in the comments.

Article Link: Best Alternatives to Apple's Now-Canceled AirPower

Haha, every single one of them you say is pricey, not realising Apple's Airpower would have cost double of that atleast.

 

[mdw1]

The SliceCharge you have shown and what your wrote about is not the second version it's the first version they just finished the kickstarter for the SliceCharge Pro and will be shipping starting in May it has 6 coils in it, 5 over lapping coils for charging 2 phones or 1 phone and 1 AirPod case and a puck on the side that can be moved up and down. I have the first version and have the second version on order. Check it out here https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/slicecharge-the-1st-6-coils-wireless-charging-mat#/

 

[manu chao]

I know wireless charging is a nice convenience to have, but I much prefer OEM over third-party, and if Apple couldn’t release their version, then truthfully, I’m not interested in any other manufacture at this point.

Do you feel the same about WiFi or external monitors?
[doublepost=1554010701][/doublepost]

A charging mat is just another dongle. I prefer keeping is simple and would rather have only the cable without the charging dongle.

Technically all the product listed here replace three 'charging dongles' with one single 'charging dongle'. I'd say that would qualify for keeping it simple.

 

[MDF314159265]

It’s not cancelled! It will be released on Monday, April 1st . Timmy is messing with us!

This would be epic.
It would be well played in that it was announced after trading hours; it’s given the tech community all weekend to moan, groan, and others say “aha!”
I wouldn’t be surprised if you’re right.
There would be a lot of returns and cancellations for other qi chargers by Monday night.

 

[TheIntruder]

Amazing, after so many articles, people posting here don’t know what Apple was trying to achieve with AirPower and think that these chargers do the same thing.

Someone even saying that the $39 above is the same thing, how stupid can someone be.

Perhaps some people need pictures to help understand.

This is what the inside of the $50 Samsung convertible charger looks like. Respected brand name, big company; others have questioned how they can produce a charger, but Apple can't? And here's their combo phone/watch charging stand.

These are the $40-50 Anker stand and pad. Fan cooled. The most costly options from a known and trusted Amazon accessory brand.

Here's one of the cheaper Anker stands that often goes on sale for $20 or less.

It's also nice to contrast how Belkin's $160 combo stand is constructed. That extra cost does go somewhere other than slapping a coil and circuit board into an injection-molded plastic shell.


And although AirPower will never see the light of day, patent filings help illuminate what Apple was trying to accomplish, and how:

- Apple reveals more technical details about AirPower in a European Patent Filing

- Four more Patents Surface covering AirPower and the Inductive Module for iPhone X

- Apple's Second Patent Filing Relating to AirPower's ability to Identify Harmful 'Foreign Objects' Surfaces

- Apple invents a Foreign Object Detection System for AirPower that uses Machine-Learning

- Apple Invents a Specialized Surface for their Future AirPower Mat to Keep Devices in Place while Charging

And much more, for those who want to dig into it.


Even those who lack the ability to discern how it would function differently, or understand the concepts involved can just look at the pretty pictures and see that AirPower was not going to be like the others, and not the "same thing."

Apple didn't fail for lack of trying. It was a complex challenge that few others have attempted, at least publicly, and some of the theories floated out there about why the project was cancelled are patently ridiculous.

 

[felixen]

IMO the only true alternative (that I’ve found) is the upcoming SliceCharge Pro. It has 6 coils which means you’ll be able to place your devices almost everywhere on the pad.

I’m not affiliated or anything, and also haven’t tried the original SliceCharge. But from what I’ve read the new Pro version - IF it does what it says(!) - will be the only other multi device charger that doesn’t require you to place the device very specifically on the pad (which sounds incredibly annoying, but to be fair I’ve never tried a wireless charger before)
[doublepost=1554019022][/doublepost]

This would be epic.
It would be well played in that it was announced after trading hours; it’s given the tech community all weekend to moan, groan, and others say “aha!”
I wouldn’t be surprised if you’re right.
There would be a lot of returns and cancellations for other qi chargers by Monday night.

They would lose so many sales from people who decided for buy competing products though. The Nomad for instance immediately sold out once Apple announced the AirPower cancellation

 

[M2M]

New modular Mac Pro will launch with AirPower together. Mark my words.

 

[Don1985]

The Slice Charge comes with a 30w plug too! That’s a pretty reasonable price when you factor that in!

No doubt AirPower wouldn’t have included a plug taking the price above $200/£200 when it ever launched.

 

[MsRandall]

I like the Slice Charge but maybe I am too cheap and am going to try these Yootech Devices:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07GW9S9TB/ref=pe_2640190_232748420_TE_item

It is quite confusing because the you have to buy a special wall adapter so it does 7.5 watt fast charging else you are stuck with the slower 5 watt charging from your iPhone charging brick...

I’ve been using this Yootech charger since it was released and I love it -So much so I bought one for my office

Yesterday I placed my new AirPods that are in a case in addition to the wireless charging case and it charged them

 

[matt_apple]

Where’s the Ikea NORDMARKE? It’s the best

 

[MVMNT]

Coming soon: “AirPower approved” devices.

(Even iOS tried to autocorrect that spelling for me, it’s in so much denial)

 

[chfilm]

SliceCharge just came out with a new device (shipping in May) called the SliceCharge Pro. It DOES let you place phones and headphone cases anywhere on the device with the exception of the dedicated Apple Watch slot, which was necessary since earlier models of the watch don’t support standard Qi charging. They just finished a Kickstarter campaign. I supported it, and I’m looking forward to that device.

I’m also backing it, and hope I can stay strong till June. This product shows precisely though why AirPower must’ve been a real tough one. I bet the problem was to mix and match the larger coils with smaller coils for the Apple Watch all over the thing and that led either to interference or overheating. I’m wondering if I should just buy the slice charge 2, because I like the look more and will only occasionally charge my Apple Watch on it to transfer music before running, other than that it’ll be only used for my phone and AirPods... or if the convenience of putting the phones and pods anywhere on the left side is worth it...

I just wish Apple had scrapped the Apple Watch charging ability and just gave us a “place your AirPods and iPhone anywhere you want” style AirPower like this slice charge left half, in an Apple design and quality for 50 bucks.
[doublepost=1554029462][/doublepost]

The SliceCharge you have shown and what your wrote about is not the second version it's the first version they just finished the kickstarter for the SliceCharge Pro and will be shipping starting in May it has 6 coils in it, 5 over lapping coils for charging 2 phones or 1 phone and 1 AirPod case and a puck on the side that can be moved up and down. I have the first version and have the second version on order. Check it out here https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/slicecharge-the-1st-6-coils-wireless-charging-mat#/

Why are you upgrading?
Is the first version working reliably with the Apple Watch? I’m debating which one to buy.. I’ll only charge the Apple Watch occasionally and am ok with the flat lay design. Just like the look of the first one better without this Watch charger.. but being able to move the items around freely is a plus of course.

 

[tekfranz]

I’ve been using this Yootech charger since it was released and I love it -So much so I bought one for my office

Yesterday I placed my new AirPods that are in a case in addition to the wireless charging case and it charged them

Great. Looking forward to getting mine.

 

[mavayr]

6. Unravel Wireless Charger ($99) - This interesting little charger features thre charging stations, one for AirPods, one for Apple Watch, and one for iPhone. You can lay them flat or roll them up in a configuration that works for you if you only need to charge two devices at once. We haven't tried this, but it's a neat design and the reviews look to be largely positive.

​

I just got the “Unravel”. Used it last night for the first time. Worked great. Clever design. Appears to be well made.

I have had the Unravel for a couple of months. Using it an iPhone X, Watch 3 and AirPods (in a 3rd party wireless charging case) and I have to say it works great.

I travel a great deal and have reduced the amount of cables and plugs that I need to pack for business trips.

I get that not everyone wants, or understands the benefits of QI charging, but I have Unravel on my desk, another couple of QI chargers around the house and one in the car, I love the convenience of no cables.