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Working AirPower Prototype Shown in Video Clip
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Never claimed apple released the video. Still doesn't change the fact that this device has been rumored for years and has plenty of "charging pads" that can charge multiple devices. Maybe apple will finally get theirs right and not cause it to overheat and catch fire.
While I like the concept, I don’t like the restriction it places on whatever type of case I can choose.
On the one hand, even the watch with the clasp doesn't sit flush with the charger so your point about the watch doesn't require a different band.
On the other hand, there are not that many flat, single-cable premium solutions. Most of the multi-device flat style qi chargers have device-specific groves 'to guide placement' or they have at least one device angled 'for viewing'.
For me, the dealbreaker is that it has to charge all my qi devices (2 x iPhones, 2 x AirPods, 2 x mouse). I see the watch as a bonus, but as you mentioned it won't fit with the flat design.
What I am surprised I haven't seen yet (though it might exist) is a USB brick with a Qi base instead of outlet prongs, that way I could have an easy way to add and remove a USB cable without having to plug it in. For now, I use NetDot cables, but they are surprisingly difficult to get.
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This looks pretty cool and it’s too bad that Apple couldn’t get it to work at the time. At this point though I don’t think they would release an AirPower mat even if they could resolve the issues because of the introduction of MagSafe and the Solo Loop watch bands.
Not so much missing the boat. But choosing to not enter the market with another commodity item. Like laser printers, low-cost displays, wifi routers, etc.
I have the Nomad Base Station Pro. It sucks.
One of my Android phones have trouble staying at 100%. I keep hearing the charging noise go off at 99%. Seems like the base station keeps turning the power off and on for that device.
Also the base station is extremely hot. I don't think this is good for the phones. Imagine holding your phone recording 4k60 videos under the bright summer sun. That's how hot my phone gets on the Base Station Pro when three phones are on it at the same time. I suspect this is the exact reason why Apple cancelled the product. They probably did get AirPower working, but it was just causing too much damage to phones long term so they axed it initially.
Does it stay on the table when you take items off it it or something?
What was novel about AirPower is that you could place things anywhere. Anybody can just glue three Qi chargers together and call it a day.
I think the idea was that it had different size coils or they were close enough together that the Apple Watch would work.
I'd put it slightly differently...
The apparent win of AirPower is being able to place devices anywhere on the mat. But something that becomes apparent once you use these wireless chargers for a while is that you REALLY want a magnet guiding the connection. Apple Watch charging has been a delight from day one because of this. AirPods charging on a mat is still a kinda hit-or-miss affair, where you're never quite sure if they will fully charge. And iPhone charging is just a total PITA without a magnet; far too much checking that you put it in the right place, and fear that, even so, it will randomly stop charging after ten minutes for who knows what reason.
So I think experience has shown Apple (and us, the users) that while a fixed form device (say something that looks like AirPower, but with three magnetized landing slots; or the various watch+phone docks; or even three separate magnetized chargers) may look less cool and theoretically be less flexible, it's more pleasant to use day after day.
BTW is anyone apart from Apple using magnetic landing spots for their watches, phones, or AirPod equivalents?
To me Apple's clever use of magnetism (starting with basic "open an iPad case", then moving on to "connect the iPad case via magnets" then to "connect an iPad keyboard via magnets", now with magsafe on the back of the iPhone) is one of Apple's unheralded successes -- simple and not exactly super-high-tech, but a source of constant delight and improvement.
You could, I assume, place your Apple charger in this
Spigen S350 Stand Designed for Apple Watch Charger Stand Apple Watch Ultra, Series 8/SE2/7/6/SE/5/4/3/2/1 (49mm,45mm,44mm,42mm,41mm,40mm,38mm) Durable TPU with Non-Slip Stable Base - Black
Spigen's S350 Apple Watch Stand is made entirely of scratch-free TPU for minimal aesthetics packed with smart functionality. It features a bottom lip that cradles your watch on its side for stability that prevents your watch from swaying side to side. An exact charger cutout offers form-fitting p...
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Why would you need magnets guiding the connection if the devices can be placed anywhere? There would be no specific place to guide them to.
The point is that it's solving a problem that no longer exists.
I think much of the original impetus was "wireless charging sucks because you have to place the device just right. how can we fix that?"
Well, one solution is dense network of coils, like airpower. But a DIFFERENT solution is to use magnetic guiding. Turns out magnetic guiding is good enough, a lot cheaper, and can be expanded to other use cases once you put the magnets in place on the back of the device.
Not quite, no wireless charger can charge the Apple Watch
A simple Google search shows you are wrong. Plenty of options out there that charge multiple devices as once. I mean literally one of the first ones that came up when I did a Google search Satechi charger
I really think this was a marketing fail rather than an engineering flub. I'm sure Apple hits dead ends in product development all the time - this one they simply announced FAR too prematurely.
Too bad; I was kinda looking forward to seeing it, though we can assume the price would've been silly indeed. And it wouldn't have worked with my watch band, either.
I think this was an interesting situation. Induction charging is extremely slower and yet we are rushing to adopt it. It's super inconvenient to use unless you are sleeping and it produces heat in a manner that actually degrades your battery faster. However, in light of that apple still chose to push ahead to get this project out to consumers. While the mainstream touts this as a failure, I would say this is a welcome and refreshing look at a company trying to innovate, and not being afraid to say they found a way not to do something.
Exactly right. When Apple makes a product for a market that is already established, it has to do at least one of two things.
1. It is useful for getting users to subscribe to an apple service ... OR
2. It has additional features that sets it apart from all other current market entries.
When the Air Power mat failed to work the way Apple intended and it seemingly could not be solved within the product's MSRP ... Apple killed it. At this point, they can't really make something that can't be offered significantly cheaper by 3rd parties.
The only accessory that I can think of that doesn't meet the two requirements above are iPhone and iPad cases. Other than being very high quality, there's really nothing special about them.
I think the addition of MagSafe was giving Apple issues with the AirPower pad, the same issue you see going on with Nomad and the Base Station Pro. This is portably the reason we never saw the product released. The future of wireless charging are mats where you can place your phone anywhere and it will charge, but I think with MagSafe which in my opinion is pointless, Apple shot themselves in the foot. There are several articles about iPhone 12 not being compatible with wireless chargers. I much prefer an iPhone with stand Qi charging that would be compatible to a base station pro, them to have Magsafe and limit myself to having to place my device precisely on a charging coil to produce a charge.
Err no, a quick google search would tell you that’s just an Apple Watch puck. That’s Not charging via QI charging which is what air power was to do. No other device can do that. Air power was place it anywhere and it charges which included the Apple Watch.