Even though Apple's AirPower was officially canceled in 2019, two years after it was first announced, prototypes continue to appear from time to time And today, another video is circulating the Internet by accident
This video, by @AppleDemoYT on Twitter/X, shows off what is supposedly a prototype charging an Apple Watch Series 4 Given that the Apple Watch is not compatible with regular Qi chargers, this is impressive, and this is indeed some sort of AirPower prototype
Indeed, while there have been numerous videos of purported AirPower prototypes over the past few years, this may be the first time we have seen one actually working with the Apple Watch
AirPower was first announced in 2017 as a way to wirelessly charge iPhones, Apple Watches, and AirPods simultaneously with a single charging pad being based on the Qi standard, the pad could also charge non-Apple products like Android phones but the real advantage was the interaction between Apple devices
AirPower's goal was to make wireless charging more intelligent, allowing the mat to detect which device was placed on it and provide the appropriate amount of energy In addition, the battery status of these devices was to be shown on the iPhone's display, so that the user could see exactly what was going on
Because of the large number of wireless charging coils inside the mats, there were no major problems with their placement However, this problem was corrected by MagSafe and Qi2, which use magnets for perfect alignment
The only official explanation given by Apple for the cancellation of the AirPower was that it "failed to meet Apple's standards"
It has been speculated that the AirPower was inefficient and had heating problems, but it has not been determined what the fatal flaw wasAccording to DemoAppleYT, an Apple Watch 4 charged with the prototype did indeed feel warm after a short charging session Unfortunately, this was a problem with wireless charging, especially in its formative stages Fortunately, the situation has since improved greatly
Apple has apparently made MagSafe the wireless charging system of choice, and third parties have filled the void by offering their own multi-device wireless chargers In fact, some of the best wireless chargers can handle two devices and an Apple Watch
However, now that we've seen AirPower working with the Apple Watch, perhaps we can put these prototype leaks to rest; AirPower won't be making a comeback anytime soon, and wireless charging is smarting itself seems to have moved on from the idea that it is a good idea
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