The current rumor has it that Apple will release its AirPower charging padalongside the 2018 lineup of iPhones.
According to sources close to the story, “technical hurdles” are the main reason why the AirPower Qi charging mat hasn’t been released yet. Apple engineers are also said to be dealing with bugs in firmware further holding up the process.
Apple unveiled the AirPower alongside the iPhone 8 and iPhone X in the tail-end of 2017. Designed by Apple, the all white, oval mat can charge an iPhone, the Apple Watch, and a new wireless-compatible AirPods case at the same time.
When announced, Apple Senior Vice President Phil Schiller claimed that the device has the potential to change the wireless charging paradigm, one set in large part by handsets running Google’s Android operating system. And, at the time, the only release date was “next year,” meaning 2018.
Sources also stated that while Apple was shooting for a June launch, employee testing found overheating issues that pushed the launch back.
The Qi standard relies on induction between two coils to deliver power to a device that needs charging. The base station contains a transmitting coil that generates a oscillating magnetic field, which induces an alternating current in the receiving field.
The coils are aligned with each other in either guided positioning relying on the user to place a device in a specific position and alignment, or hardware can be built allowing for free positioning.
Free positioning is generally used in most charging plates, with relatively minor adjustments made by magnetic positioning or other mechanical apparatuses.
Qi also allows for free positioning to be implemented by inducing a magnetic field just at the location of the receiving coil with multiple cooperative flux generators. Devices put anywhere on the plate communicate their location on the pad, and the field is only induced under the device by the flux generators operating in tandem.
Apple appears to be using this method for a trio of devices that can be placed in any order, on any location on the pad.
So, neat stuff and it just needs to have some final bugs worked out.
Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.
Via AppleInsider and Bloomberg