Apple's AirPower Wireless Charging Mat Is In Production (theverge.com)

Apple's long-delayed AirPower wireless charging mat might finally be in production. According to a tweet from ChargerLAB, a "credible source" says that Apple has begun manufacturing the long-delayed wireless charging mat. The Verge reports: If true, it could mean that the long-overdue product could finally reach the hands of consumers before too much longer. Apple announced in September 2017, that it was introducing wireless charging capabilities in with the iPhone 8 and iPhone X, and gave a preview for its own wireless charging mat that would not only charge the iPhone, but its Apple Watch and AirPods. At the time, Apple didn't announce a price -- only that it was expected to be released sometime in 2018. That obviously didn't happen...

If what ChargerLAB says is accurate, that could mean that we'll see more about them in the near future. The site's tweet says that the devices are being manufactured at Luxshare Precision, which already manufactures Apple's AirPods and some cords. MacRumors translated a screenshot of ChargerLAB's WeChat conversation, in which the site's source expects the device be released soon. But given the charger's history of delays and technical challenges, it's probably best not to get one's hopes up just yet.

Comments

/. ed strikes again.

[msauve]

Really, BeauHD, are you really so lazy and clueless that you can't fix the punctuation so it can be displayed here?

Unimpressed with wireless charging

[imidan]

I have a wireless charging mat for my Android phone. It has a few problems. One, the charging is a lot slower than by wire because the efficiency is so poor. Two, the phone has to be placed just right on the pad to consistently charge. A few degrees or centimeters from the ideal position, and the phone charges for a minute or so, then stops, then resumes, over and over again. This slows down the charge, and it probably isn't great for the battery to switch constantly between charging and discharging.

I had a thought to build the charging mat into a kind of stand for the phone that would hold both in the ideal position to charge, but I quickly realized that what I had invented was a charging cradle, and if it just hooked a wire into the charging port on the phone instead of incorporating the mat, it would do everything the wireless mat is doing, but faster and with better energy efficiency.

Maybe Apple's is better, but my experience is that there's not that much point to wireless charging. These days, I just plug my phone in.

Re:Unimpressed with wireless charging

[93 Escort Wagon]

You obviously don’t get it.

Wireless charging means Ive can finally get rid of those ugly ports which detract from the phone’s beautiful smooth lines. And because you don’t have to plug in those ugly cables, wireless charging also means easier charging. Easier charging means we can have smaller batteries because it’s so easy you won’t mind charging frequently - several times a day! And smaller batteries means even thinner phones, because the current phones are just too fat! Plus frequent charging means customers will buy large quantities of three hundred dollar charging mats so they can have one at home, one at work, one at the gym, and one in their bag!

It’s a win-win-win-win! For Apple!

Goodbye Connectors!

[dohzer]

Finally, the last connector port can be elimited from the design.