The Death of AirPower: Explained!
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Promos
RIP AirPower. It's canceled forever. Here's how it happened. Nomad base station: amzn.to Base station with watch: hellonomad.com Gruber's blog post: daringfireball.net RIP AirPower graphic: 9to5mac.com MKBHD Merch: shop.mkbhd.com Video Gear I use: kit.com Tech I'm using right now: amazon.com Intro Track: I Got One by Alltta Playlist of MKBHD Intro music: goo.gl ~ twitter.com @MKBHD @MKBHD
The video recounts the rise and fall of Apple’s AirPower wireless charging mat, starting from its 2017 announcement tied to the iPhone X era. It describes AirPower as a white charging mat that would simultaneously power iPhones, AirPods, and Apple Watch, with unique iOS integration showing charging progress for all three devices. The host explains how Apple initially teased a 2018 release and then entered a period of radio silence, during which speculation grew about whether the product would ever arrive. He describes the hands-on event experience where AirPower appeared in the demo area but failed to charge anything, signaling early design or thermal problems. Over time, Apple progressively removed AirPower from its site and product listings, fueling rumors and detective-like online sleuthing as enthusiasts tracked every reference to the product. The narrative highlights how even after AirPods' packaging and product codes kept referencing AirPower, the dream of a single elegant charging solution persisted in weak moments of hope while publicly slipping away. The segment concludes with Apple acknowledging the project’s impossibility, choosing cancellation over rebranding, and the host reflecting on how this decision, though disappointing, avoided creating potentially hazardous charging technology, while pointing viewers to available alternatives.
Topics · technology history · consumer electronics · product cancellation · wireless charging
Questions answered
- What happened to Apple AirPower and why was it canceled?
- AirPower was canceled by Apple after ongoing thermal and engineering challenges with its multi-coil charging design made a reliable, safe product unlikely, leading Apple to discontinue the project rather than shipping a flawed solution.
- Could AirPower have been replaced by a simpler wireless charging mat?
- Yes, alternatives exist from third parties that charge multiple devices, though they may not integrate with iOS in the same way and typically involve separate coils rather than a single multi-coil Apple branded solution.
- What lessons does the AirPower saga offer to technology product releases?
- The saga underscores the risk of announcing complex hardware before validating practical feasibility, the importance of thermal management in wireless charging designs, and how branding and ecosystems influence consumer expectations.