Rumor Claims 'AirPower Isn't Dead' After Ming-Chi Kuo Says Apple Working on 'Smaller Wireless Charging Mat'

Nearly a year after canceling its AirPower wireless charging mat, Apple has resumed development of the project, according to YouTuber and leaker Jon Prosser. However, there is no guarantee that the accessory will ever be released.

airpoweriphone8
Prosser claims that Apple engineers are attempting to redesign the mat's charging coils to displace heat more effectively, adding that prototyping is underway. Apple only said that the AirPower failed to achieve its high standards, but rumors suggested that the mat experienced issues with heat management and interference.

AirPower would have been able to charge an iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods case simultaneously, regardless of each device's position on the mat. The battery percentage of each device would have shown up on the iPhone's lock screen while charging.


Apple first previewed the ‌AirPower‌ in September 2017 at Steve Jobs Theater, shortly after introducing the iPhone X, and said that it would be released by the end of 2018. Apple failed to deliver on that promise and ultimately canceled the mat in March 2019. At the time, Apple said it remained "committed to push the wireless experience forward."

Prosser has shared accurate Google leaks in the past, but he has only recently pushed more into Apple rumors, so his track record is limited on that front.

A few months ago, well-known analyst Ming-Chi Kuo forecasted that one of Apple's major new hardware products in the first half of 2020 would include a "smaller wireless charging mat," but he did not provide any further details and that timeframe may have changed due to the ongoing pandemic. It is unclear if the mat would have AirPower branding.

Popular Stories

iPhone SE 4 Vertical Camera Feature

iPhone SE 4 Rumored to Use Same Rear Chassis as iPhone 16

Friday July 19, 2024 7:16 am PDT by
Apple will adopt the same rear chassis manufacturing process for the iPhone SE 4 that it is using for the upcoming standard iPhone 16, claims a new rumor coming out of China. According to the Weibo-based leaker "Fixed Focus Digital," the backplate manufacturing process for the iPhone SE 4 is "exactly the same" as the standard model in Apple's upcoming iPhone 16 lineup, which is expected to...
iPhone 16 Pro Sizes Feature

iPhone 16 Series Is Just Two Months Away: Everything We Know

Monday July 15, 2024 4:44 am PDT by
Apple typically releases its new iPhone series around mid-September, which means we are about two months out from the launch of the iPhone 16. Like the iPhone 15 series, this year's lineup is expected to stick with four models – iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max – although there are plenty of design differences and new features to take into account. To bring ...
bsod

Crowdstrike Says Global IT Outage Impacting Windows PCs, But Mac and Linux Hosts Not Affected

Friday July 19, 2024 3:12 am PDT by
A widespread system failure is currently affecting numerous Windows devices globally, causing critical boot failures across various industries, including banks, rail networks, airlines, retailers, broadcasters, healthcare, and many more sectors. The issue, manifesting as a Blue Screen of Death (BSOD), is preventing computers from starting up properly and forcing them into continuous recovery...
iphone 14 lineup

Cellebrite Unable to Unlock iPhones on iOS 17.4 or Later, Leak Reveals

Thursday July 18, 2024 4:18 am PDT by
Israel-based mobile forensics company Cellebrite is unable to unlock iPhones running iOS 17.4 or later, according to leaked documents verified by 404 Media. The documents provide a rare glimpse into the capabilities of the company's mobile forensics tools and highlight the ongoing security improvements in Apple's latest devices. The leaked "Cellebrite iOS Support Matrix" obtained by 404 Media...
Apple Watch Series 9

2024 Apple Watch Lineup: Key Changes We're Expecting

Tuesday July 16, 2024 7:59 am PDT by
Apple is seemingly planning a rework of the Apple Watch lineup for 2024, according to a range of reports from over the past year. Here's everything we know so far. Apple is expected to continue to offer three different Apple Watch models in five casing sizes, but the various display sizes will allegedly grow by up to 12% and the casings will get taller. Based on all of the latest rumors,...
tinypod apple watch

TinyPod Turns Your Apple Watch Into an iPod

Wednesday July 17, 2024 3:18 pm PDT by
If you have an old Apple Watch and you're not sure what to do with it, a new product called TinyPod might be the answer. Priced at $79, the TinyPod is a silicone case with a built-in scroll wheel that houses the Apple Watch chassis. When an Apple Watch is placed inside the TinyPod, the click wheel on the case is able to be used to scroll through the Apple Watch interface. The feature works...

Top Rated Comments

PickUrPoison Avatar
57 months ago

my God, enough with this already.
If you’re not into rumors, you’re at the wrong place...
Score: 25 Votes (Like | Disagree)
I7guy Avatar
57 months ago

Qi charging sucks. It's slow, wasteful, makes your phone burning hot, bad for your battery, and potentially dangerous.
And astoundingly convenient.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
cmaier Avatar
57 months ago

Not really. Kind of the opposite, actually.

If you can plug in a Qi charger, you can plug in a lightning cable.

How is it more convenient?
Just put the phone down and it charges. Pick it up and go. Versus plugging it in and unplugging it (and potentially chasing the wire around when it falls off your nightstand, etc.)
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
I7guy Avatar
57 months ago

Not really. Kind of the opposite, actually.

If you can plug in a Qi charger, you can plug in a lightning cable.

How is it more convenient?
That’s the point, one doesn’t have to plug a cable into the phone to charge it. I find that convenient. Ymmv.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Justin Cymbal Avatar
57 months ago
I would definitely like to see Apple come out with an AirPower charging mat that works better than the 3rd party ones

I know so many other Apple users that have AirPods, Watch & iPhone that would buy this...
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Eli_m Avatar
57 months ago
my God, enough with this already.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)