Shortly after Tim Cook announced 2018’s new iPhones, people began to notice the absence of AirPower - the advanced wireless charging system announced in 2017. It was no longer on the website, it was no longer in marketing materials, and it was conspicuously absent during the launch of the iPhone XS, XS Max, and XR.
To all intents, AirPower has been removed from sight and hidden away in a manner reminiscent of a Monsieur Marchioly:
It’s important to note that the iPhones equipped with wireless charging conform to the Qi charging standard (that’s the iPhone 8, 8 Plus, X, XS, XS Max and Xr) and continue to work with Qi standard chargers - many of which are on sale at Apple Stores around the world. This has not been taken away.
What has been taken away is Apple’s ‘magical’ (and proprietary) system of wireless charging that would have been faster, allowed multiple devices to be charged on a single plate, and communicated charge status and other data between devices.
Turns out that Apple’s clean-up team missed a few details. The getting started guide for the iPhone XS suggests users place their “iPhone with screen facing up on AirPower or a Qi-certified wireless charger.”
Not only that, but iOS 12.1’s code regarding wireless charging has been updated - the software team is still working on the charging system, although this could be improving the Qi side of things, rather than Apple’s vapourware.
But they definitely mention it in the new iPhone XS Max manual pic.twitter.com/qJO7kVc8bi
— Gavin Stephens (@ccgavind) September 20, 2018
The biggest surprise is that Tim Cook’s Apple has over-promised and under-delivered on a product. The company’s reputation is built not on being first with new technology, but delivering a user experience that is the best For the record, this is a viewpoint I don’t agree with. Apple delivered wireless charging in the form of the Qi-compatible iPhone 8, 8 Plus and iPhone X handsets. It was years behind the competition, but they finally decided to go with the emerging standard.
Instead of saying ‘Qi compatible’, it couldn’t resist labeling the technology as its own, it couldn’t resist saying that Apple had a better way of wireless charging, and it couldn’t resist adding in features that would ‘lock in ‘ users to Apple’s charging ecosystem.
Perhaps it should have listened to its own legend and waited until it was perfected in private before boasting about it in public?
Now read more about Apple’s removal of AirPower from public view…
