Report: AirPower Has Entered Production and Coming Soon

[MacRumors]

Apple's long-awaited wireless charging mat AirPower might finally be on the horizon if the latest rumor is to be believed.

Hong Kong website ChargerLAB cites a "credible source" within Apple's supply chain who claims Chinese manufacturer Luxshare Precision has started production of the AirPower. In a conversation on Chinese messaging app WeChat, the source adds he has heard the AirPower will be released soon.

Breaking: AirPower is finally coming. We just learned from credible source in supply chain that the manufacture Luxshare Precision has already started producing Apple AirPower wireless charging pad. Luxshare Precision is also the maker of Apple AirPods and USB-C cables. pic.twitter.com/UqgWIAh3sx - ChargerLAB (@chargerlab) January 12, 2019

MacRumors translated the Chinese messages in the WeChat screenshot using the Google Translate app for photos on iPhone and they appear to be consistent with what ChargerLAB claims in its tweet.

Luxshare is a member of the Wireless Power Consortium behind the Qi standard and also assembles AirPods for Apple -- and Lightning to USB-C cables, according to ChargerLAB. Reports had suggested Luxshare would be a primary supplier of the AirPower since as early as February 2017.

Luxshare might not be the only supplier, as a report last year said Pegatron would also be involved in production.

A few weeks ago, developer Steve Troughton-Smith said he's heard Apple may have overcome technical challenges with the AirPower and could move forward with a release. Those technical challenges included overheating and interference issues, according to Sonny Dickson, an occasional source of Apple leaks.

Where is AirPower? 🤷‍♂️ All I've been hearing is 'they've finally fixed it', so, if true, it could ship as a product whenever Apple wants. Hopefully alongside the smart battery case for the XS? - Steve Troughton-Smith (@stroughtonsmith) December 31, 2018

Back in October, in a research note obtained by MacRumors, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claimed that Apple may launch the AirPower by early in the first quarter of 2019, suggesting that the accessory may be released soon.

The delayed release of the AirPower is likely why Apple has yet to release its optional wireless charging case for AirPods, which remains listed as "currently unavailable" on Apple's website. Like the AirPower, Kuo said the wireless case may be released in early 2019 ahead of an entirely new pair in 2020.

AirPower is an oval-shaped mat that would be able to wirelessly charge multiple Apple devices at once, including the iPhone 8 and newer, Apple Watch Series 3 and newer, and AirPods when they are placed in the aforementioned wireless charging case that has been expected to launch alongside the mat.

Apple first previewed the AirPower at Steve Jobs Theater in September 2017, shortly after introducing the iPhone X, and indicated that it would be released at some point in 2018 in a press release. Apple failed to deliver on that promise, however, and hasn't commented on the AirPower for many months.

Following its September 2018 event, Apple removed all but a few mentions of the AirPower from its website. The mat was, however, still referenced in the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR user guides, in some recent Apple job listings, and in a few recent Apple patent applications.

Apple's silence regarding AirPower has led some to believe the product has been canceled, but today's report offers renewed hope.

Last month, based on documentation obtained from Made for iPhone program members, ChargerLAB accurately reported that third-party Apple-certified Lightning to USB-C cables would be available in early 2019. Right on cue, Belkin and Griffin among others introduced Lightning to USB-C cables at CES 2019 this week.

ChargerLAB did, however, inaccurately report that the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR would be bundled with a faster 18W USB-C power adapter from Apple. The website did show an accurate render of the charger, but it ended up being for the 2018 iPad Pro, so the rumor wasn't entirely off base.

Update: In a follow-up tweet, ChargerLAB cites another source who claims a second Apple supplier Pegatron is set to begin mass production of the AirPower on January 21. The alleged Pegatron employee claims the AirPower has three layers of coils in an 8-7-7 configuration from bottom to top.

Apple AirPower: Another source claims Pegatron is set to start mass produce AirPower at Jan 21. Pegatron is also an Apple OEM in Asia. The company employee says AirPower has total three layers of coils in 8-7-7 configuration from bottom to top. pic.twitter.com/xsboO47PGR - ChargerLAB (@chargerlab) January 12, 2019

Article Link: Report: AirPower Has Entered Production and Coming Soon

 

[puma1552]

Too late, moved on. Decided I was done with flat charging mats and wanted a proper stand for my phone anyway.

 

[GuruZac]

I would be interested as long as it's not over $100. But we all know this thing will be priced well above that.

 

[The Game 161]

Will release when new air pods are out then

 

[jetjaguar]

No longer interested

 

[zombierunner]

What’s all this fuss about a wireless charger?

 

[Baymowe335]

Let the snarky comments begin, just like original AirPods.

It will likely be a popular product if it works as designed.

 

[Pelea]

Good, I’m hoping for a 2028 release date. If it’s any later I’m not buying it

 

[Sasparilla]

Have to laugh at this a little, its been so long, but if they got it done - cool! Could get rolled out with the update to the low cost iPad. Hopefully the price isn't a HomePod level nightmare.

Bet there is quite story behind the convoluted development schedule if its actually getting released (still in some half-life 3 like wariness here).

 

[Piggie]

Does anyone want this?

Even "Talosive Tech" a self confessed "Apple Sheep" says he does not want this.

He says wireless charging needs to be that the phone/watch is upright so you can see it.
Like a night stand or so that face-ID works.

None of this works with the devices lying flat.

This is dead and pointless.

However, the fact that this "IS" Form Over Function, means I'm sure Apple will continue with it regardless of what anyone else thinks.

 

[zyr123]

they missed such a good opportunity to say this on December 31st.

 

[MacFather]

Deleted.

 

[ghostface147]

Wireless charging is just slow overall. Not thanks.

 

[miflgr92]

If this was announced after development was complete, I'd definitely purchase it upon release. But with all of the rumors regarding issues Apple has faced with it, I'm very hesitant to buy it right away. I don't want my bedside table to catch on fire in the middle of the night lol. I'll give it a while and wait for the early adopters to let us know how it is. What's a few months when I've been waiting for over a year already?

 

[iPhysicist]

Am I late to the "to late" comment?
Ah, yes - like Airpower, to late but eventually here.

 

[alphaod]

At the double the price...

29W charger required, sold separately.

 

[DotCom2]

I’m Just waiting to see if it will work with an Apple Watch loop band. (Milanese) I think not.

 

[Cole Slaw]

I'm going to guess it'll cost $159 U.S. or $229 Canadian.

 

[xalea]

Okay, great. I’ll also never buy it because the phone requires a standing cradle to open when it’s on my desk, where it is most of the time. I don’t feel like hovering my head over a $200 piece of white plastic every time I need to use my phone without picking it up.

 

[penajmz]

Too bad it’ll be priced $150+

 

[Sasparilla]

Wireless charging is just slow overall. Not thanks.

Don't discount it so fast, since we're talking iPhones, normal Qi wireless charging is 50% faster than your normal iPhone charger. Not sure whether this thing would boost it further or not.

I'm going to guess it'll cost $159 U.S. or $229 Canadian.

I agree, although I'll nudge that down to $149. My HomePod level pricing fear for it is $249. Guessing a good price with a good profit should be $99 since its made where labor costs nothing. JMHO..

 

[Mr. Dee]

I said I wasn’t gonna buy the first gen of this, but it turns out I really need it. I have the following:

- iPhone X
- Apple Watch
- iPhone 6s
- iPad Pro
- MacBook Pro
- Surface Pro 3

All of them are competing for the same power strip; I sometimes forget the charge one, mostly the Apple Watch, which regularly wear. The AirPower take two of these off the power strip so I could at lease efficiently charge the other devices or keep them plugged in.

I just hope its not too expensive, basically just wireless power strip. I use an office chair as my night stand. I just want to be able to put down either my iPhone X or Apple Watch and not worry about attaching or plugging in for a change, especially when I go to bed. It’s becoming almost like second job to do this.

If Apple does get this in to production, I might even get the AirPods just to complete the collection. Don’t use headsets much, since my I believe my use of my earlier ear pods partially affected by left hearing.

 

[Mac 128]

Too late, moved on. Decided I was done with flat charging mats and wanted a proper stand for my phone anyway.

This really isn’t targeted at someone who only has a phone. It’s best used by someone who uses a range of Apple products which charge wirelessly. I can easily see coming home, laying my phone on the mat, taking off my watch, and pulling my AirPods case out of my pocket, and laying them all on the mat, then heading for the shower. They may get moved around during the night, but by then they may all be fully charged. I can see having one at work and home. Maybe even having one in the car. In addition, I’d have a stand for the phone where I needed that, a stand on my night table for the watch. AirPods don’t need anything.

Future applications might include the Apple remote, Mouse, trackpad, and any other devices that currently charge by Lightning.

Something like this is never too late to market. Never mind that most of the public doesn’t even know about this product, or that Apple missed its shipping window. And a large number of Apple customers are still using phones that do not have wireless charging.

 

[dan9700]

Wireless charging is slow so not worth it

 

[Akrapovic]

Not compatible with a Watch with a Sport Loop on. Given cheap knock offs on eBay solved that years ago, I'm surprised Apple would ship this design. Or not surprised actually. I'm sure the AirPower 2 will solve it...
[doublepost=1547309044][/doublepost]

Wireless charging is slow so not worth it

Wireless charging is useful for someone who has a desk job. Your phone sits on your desk and charges continually, so it never really runs down. For the rest of the population, it's less useful.