Announced at the same time as the iPhone X at the start of the 2017 school year, Apple's AirPower wireless charging base has been repeatedly delayed. We thought we'd see it appear at various Apple events – the announcement of the new 2018 iPhones for example – but nothing at all. And then the information fell at the end of March 2019, Apple declared to completely abandon the product.
AirPower first version, overheating problem
No specific reason was given for this cancellation but experts agreed that Apple was unable to solve the problems of overheating of the device due to the proximity of the charging coils. Indeed, the accessory had the particularity of being able to charge several devices simultaneously - iPhone, AirPods, Apple Watch for example - a technical feat that ultimately could not be accomplished.
AirPower, prototype in the wild?
The most curious among you will be delighted to learn that the YouTube channels 91tech and Apple Demo recently got their hands on a prototype of the AirPower, which you can admire in the video below. The accessory does not work strictly speaking, but it is possible to connect it to a Mac via developer tools not available to the general public. More details in the video.
