A video has been posted on Twitter, from a collector of unique Apple hardware, of a working AirPower prototype. Allegedly, the video shows a working unit of a prototype of the canceled AirPower project that was first lauded by Apple in 2017.
AirPower was a charging mat designed to charge Qi-based iPhones, Apple Watch, and AirPods that Apple announced in 2017 along with the iPhone X. The unit was designed so that users could power up 3 devices at a time by placing them anywhere on the mat, meaning it had to have multiple charging coils.
A working prototype for AirPower is shown in a video clip online
The media was uploaded by Giulio Zompetti on Twitter. The video shows a unique on-screen iOS animation when the iPhone is placed on the charging mat. The animation had previously been seen in Apple’s early-on marketing materials, marking this the first time the animation has been shown in its raw form.
AirPower pic.twitter.com/bv8gi0NiiL
— Giulio Zompetti (@1nsane_dev) August 5, 2021
The Cupertino tech giant cancelled AirPower after 19 months of delay and no additional news from the company. The project was officially canceled on March 19. Various rumors kept suggesting that the charging mat could return in a smaller, less ambitious charging pad, however, it seems that MagSafe is the successor to the canceled accessory.
Even if the rumors are correct, the Cupertino tech giant may struggle to compete with the best wireless charges already available in the market due to the massive delay in its own tech. The tech giant last year debuted the MagSafe charging system alongside iPhone 12, allowing users to connect a magnetic pad to the back of their device to charge it while also paving the way for new magnetic iPhone accessories. Apple is expected to continue the same features with the iPhone 13.
Zompetti is an enthusiastic collector of Apple prototype devices and has previously shared images of an Apple Watch Series 3 prototype with additional connectors, a third-gen iPod touch with a rear camera, an iPhone 12 Pro prototype, and rare original Apple Watch prototypes.
Read More:
