After Delays, Apple Cancels the AirPower Wireless Charging Mat
Apple has confirmed the cancellation of its highly anticipated wireless charging product, AirPower.
In a statement, the company blamed issues meeting its own quality standards.
“After much effort, we’ve concluded AirPower will not achieve our high standards and we have cancelled the project. We apologize to those customers who were looking forward to this launch. We continue to believe that the future is wireless and are committed to push the wireless experience forward," said Dan Riccio, Apple’s senior vice president of Hardware Engineering.
Apple didn’t say why exactly the product was canceled, but people familiar with its development had talked about challenges faced with the software, overheating and the device's ability to charge multiple devices on any spot on the mat.
Apple announced the AirPower in September 2017. At the time, Apple said it would go on sale in 2018. The device was designed to charge several devices simultaneously, including the Apple Watch, which uses a method of wireless charging that’s proprietary to Apple.
This is the second misstep this week for the company’s hardware engineering group. Apple earlier apologized after customer complaints about the keyboards on its latest laptops. The company also has delayed multiple other accessories under Cook’s leadership, including the original AirPods and HomePod speaker.
There are several Apple devices capable of being wirelessly charged, but no Apple-made accessory to charge them. The company offers third-party versions on its website from companies like Mophie and Belkin.