Alleged AirPower Prototype Teardown Underlines Why Apple Did Not Release It

A teardown video of the alleged Apple AirPower may have confirmed what enthusiasts were speculating back then. In March 2019, Apple confirmed that it is cancelling the release of its earlier announced wireless charging mat. The tech giant did not reveal the reason behind its move, but this alleged video could offer the industry some answers.

The alleged teardown video of the Apple AirPower was shared on bilibili and posted on Twitter by industry insider Mr. White. Although the video is not in English, a good observation would provide answers. The internals of the AirPower contains 14 overlapping charging coils.

It appears that Apple intended it this way to ensure that the entire surface of the mat is a hotspot for power. It could also mean generating unnecessary heat when Apple’s smart wearable is added into the mix. The video of the alleged Apple AirPower also shows the Lightning port built into the wireless charging mat.

Apple previously said that AirPower was cancelled because it could not live up to the high standards because of overheating. It is possible that this issue was caused by the coils placed very close to each other. Unfortunately, there is no way to verify if the video shows the Apple AirPower.

Apple is reportedly working on a new version of the AirPower that would house the A11 Bionic chip. With the chip’s inclusion, Apple may have discovered a better way to manage the amount of power the wireless charging mat needs to generate. An industry insider claimed that Apple might launch the new version at the upcoming iPhone 12 event.

The claim came following speculations pointing that Apple could be working on a portless iPhone. The Cupertino tech giant was earlier rumored to drop the Lightning port for the USB-C. There are also claims that Apple might not repeat what it has done with the iPad Pro and go directly to a portless design.

However, these claims, while interesting, are unofficial. It is always smarter to take these details with a good measure of skepticism.