AIRPOWER CANCELED – What Happened To The Apple Wireless Charger? And Your Alternatives

We’re sure you’ve all heard – the Apple wireless charger ‘AirPower’ has been canceled. The biggest shock to the charging industry since Samsung Galaxy Note 7’s started catching on fire, Apple announced on March 29th that

AirPower will not achieve our high standards and we have canceled the project

– Dan Riccio, Senior Vice-President of Hardware Engineering at Apple

Pretty blunt, right? But it doesn’t reveal much. So we decided to look into the rumors surrounding why Apple canceled AirPower, and the products you can buy to replace it!

Rumor #1 – Overheating

Whilst nothing has been confirmed, it has long been rumored that Apple’s quest to create a charger for three devices at once caused overheating. This is because they were looking to use 22 charging coils – a huge amount by current standards.

Qi Charging works through electromagnetic induction between the emitting coils in the charger and the receiving coils in your handset. The number of coils and their positioning is said to have proved a significant technical challenge for Apple engineers, who were unable to prevent the coils heating up to a temperature that could potentially damage the charger.

Because of this, it has been suggested that part of the reason to cancel AirPower is that Apple couldn’t be revolutionary enough. They aimed too high and couldn’t replicate the feat of the iPhone, iPad and AirPods – and if they couldn’t be revolutionary, they didn’t want to be ‘ordinary’.

Rumor #2 – Exclusivity

Apple is renowned for being exclusive; you can only use lightening cables with their devices, alongside iOS and other features unavailable elsewhere.

Qi charging works with any compatible phone – if you need to know more, you can read our guide here. But a Qi Charger has the potential for anyone to use it. Android owners might have been able to buy an AirPower and charge their phone with it. This would prevent Apple from dictating who uses their charger with which device, and could have lessened their impact on the charging market.

Such a factor could be important in why the AirPower was cancelled. As much as AirPower couldn’t be revolutionary, it also couldn’t be significantly distinctive without serious improvement.

Rumor #3 – Competition from RAVPower

As you already know, Apple has a serious competitor when it comes to wireless charging. This innovative company has been producing superior chargers since 2011; their knowledge is second to none.

Who is this global leader in the power industry? That’s right – RAVPower!

Okay, okay, so we might not have had a direct influence on Apple’s decision, but we do have a great selection of wireless chargers for you to choose from!

Ravpower 4 Coils Qi Fast Wireless Charger 10W

Yes, yes, it doesn’t have 22 coils – but it does have a safe, optimal number for current tech. 4 coils are all you’ll need to keep your device charging quickly. The silicone anti-skid, elongated body optimizes the area your device can charge on, so (as with AirPower’s design) you don’t have to worry about putting your phone down at the wrong angle to charge.

Want an AirPower shaped wireless charger? Check out our 4 Coil charger here.

Ravpower 10400mAh Wireless Portable Charger

If you’re looking to get in on the wireless action but need something with a bit more freedom than the AirPower, or any wall charger, can provide, look no further! Our wireless portable charger offers 10w charging and two outlets at 10,400mAh. These impressive specs beat Xiaomi’s latest comparable product!

Buy our Wireless Portable Power bank here.

RAVPower Phone Holder Car & Wireless Car Charger with Qi 7.5W or 10W

If you’re always on the move, you don’t need an apple wireless charger – you want a wireless car charger. This is the perfect accessory to cut the cord whilst travelling – and to make sure that your music and maps are always running! It’s also super compatible, with 10W charging for Samsung and 7.5W charging for iPhone.

Find out more about our in-car wireless charger here.