Apple reportedly working on AirPower alternative that is ‘less ambitious’

Published On: August 27, 2020

Highlights

Apple is reportedly working on a new wireless charger for iPhones
The new wireless charger is said to be “less ambitious” than the AirPower
The Apple wireless charger is expected to launch later this year

Apple is working on a “less ambitious” wireless charger for the iPhone, Bloomberg reports. The information comes months after the company announced it was cancelling the AirPower wireless charging mat. It now seems Apple still intends to launch a wireless charger, but it likely won’t be as complex in its design as AirPower.

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Also read: Apple AirPower wireless charging pad may still launch, new details revealed

Bloomberg’s report confirmed an earlier claim by Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who said back in January that Apple is working on a smaller wireless charging mat for the iPhone. In his report, Kuo mentioned that the product will be coming in the second half of 2020. The latest report also keeps in line with a leak by tipster Jon Prosser, who said in April that Apple is working on a wireless charger with “fewer coils and less overlap”.

AirPower was originally meant to charge the iPhone, AirPods, and Apple Watch simultaneously. The design meant having several coils in close proximity to each other, which could cause overheating issues. It is unclear what the Bloomberg report means by “less ambitious” wireless charger, but it seems Apple is reducing the number of coils and may allow for only one device to charge at a time.

Interestingly, while Apple is working on a “less ambitious” wireless charger, a startup called Aira Inc. is set to launch a technology called FreePower that will deliver what Apple promised with the AirPower. The technology will work for devices from OEMs like Samsung, Google, and even Apple.