Apple wasn’t ready: this AirPower prototype explains the project’s abandonment

Historically, Apple has always aimed to ambitious goals for their own projects, sometimes finding themselves hindered by theirs actual feasibility. We are talking about theAirPower: a wireless charging base designed for load at the same time the iPhone, the AirPods and the Apple watch.

Being an Apple project, the product certainly would not have neglected the appearance of integration with the ecosystem. In fact, as emerged from the initial marketing, the devices placed on the base would have the charging status is shown when another was added, all with a characteristic animation. Initially the AirPower had a launch target of 2018, only to be met after several problems permanently canceled by Apple in 2019. In the years since, a few images have emerged showing the device, but it wasn’t until last week that the first one appeared working prototype of the first phase.

The well-known leaker and collector of prototypes Kosutami showed a version of the device dating back to the beginning of developmentwho presents 15 Refill Coils unlike the 22 present in subsequent versions.

The working prototype allowed Kosutami to highlight the problem principal: the positioning of the devices. Indeed when these come correctly aligned with a coilthe AirPower‌ was able to recharge without thermal problems obvious. On the contrary, a different positioning does increase the temperature of the base so much from leave burn marks on devices or dissolve the case of the AirPods.

Obviously such a problem collapsed the concept of ease of use behind the product and despite further attempts, increasing the number of coils, the overheating problems were never solved. Apple subsequently changed course by introducing MagSafe.

Although AirPower never saw the light of day, a report last year by Mark Gurman (Bloomberg journalist) states that Apple is still studying future charging solutions inspired by AirPower.