A few scant years ago, Apple announced that they would be introducing some innovative new technology into their contemporary cutting edge models — the iPhone 8 and the iPhone X. To go along with those high-tech handsets, the brass at the beloved tech giant also promised a wireless charging mat that could be paired with these handsets and their attendant peripherals. The product name? The Apple AirPower. Promising quick charging capability and the option to charge up to three devices simultaneously, the promise seemed almost too good to be true.
It was. The Apple AirPower never materialized, becoming yet another instance of vaporware. That broken promise by one of the world’s leading tech companies could, however, be mitigated by recent rumors — rumors which suggest that the AirPower is currently in production, per the Verge .
Reporting information garnered from a Twitter post made by ChargerLab — one stating that the Apple AirPower was definitively in production as of the writing of this article — it seems that the rumor has also been picked up by MacRumors , GSM Arena , and 9to5 Mac , in addition to the Verge . The Hong Kong-based ChargerLab is claiming that “a credible source in the supply chain” is reporting that production of the much-anticipated peripheral is well underway — and that Luxshare is the manufacturer tasked with bringing the charging solution to the market. Luxshare has previously partnered with the Cupertino, California, tech titan to produce USB-C charging cables, in addition to the AirPods wireless earbuds.
AirPower charging mat reportedly enters production after missing 2018 release https://t.co/RYKdz9c0dV by @ChanceHMiller pic.twitter.com/8gDPvtuijx
— 9to5Mac (@9to5mac) January 12, 2019
Though the Apple AirPower was scheduled for a broader consumer release in early 2018, that didn’t happen. Delay after delay plagued the peripheral’s planned launch, with some early reports stating that the unit could cause overheating — a disastrous outcome given that overheating is commonly associated with overtaxed batteries, a symptom would could brick the device should it continue unabated.
While the Apple AirPods have been a massive market success, the current iteration of the product does not offer wireless charging. Given that the AirPods are meant to be a fully wireless solution, a second run — one with wireless charging capability linked to the rumored release of the AirPower — is already rumored to be in the works. This would likely be a boon to heavy Apple users, as wireless charging for a wireless product eliminates the vast majority of the cabling involved in the entire process.
While no manufacturer’s suggested retail price has been hinted at as yet, several commenters in the Verge’s discussion section speculated that the price point might be somewhere between $149 and $249 upon release.