Report: Apple's launch for it wireless charger seeing extended delays


A new report from Bloomberg provides some insights as to why Apple has yet to ship its AirPower inductive charging mat. The device was announced last fall alongside the iPhone 8 and iPhone X and still hasn't shipped with as we enter the second half of 2018. The latest iPhones use the Qi charging standard and is supported by many third-party devices. The issue reportedly isn't the mat itself, but complexity involved in making the AirPower easily charge multiple Apple devices at once.

Bloomberg:

Unlike wireless chargers on the market today, the AirPower is designed to charge three devices simultaneously: an iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods with a still-to-be-released wireless charging case.

Apple also wants users to be able to place any of their devices anywhere on the charging mat to begin a charge. That ambitious goal requires the company to pack the AirPower with multiple charging sensors, a process that has proven difficult, the people said.

Apple sometimes pre-announced products, but it seems usually a placeholder for the marketplace as it brings a product to market at scale. If Apple's customers know Apple is coming out with a product, they may be more inclined to hold off a purchase. With the PowerMat, Apple encourages customers to buy a third-party product in the interim, so preannouncing may have been a way to bring some excitement for the new charging features on the new iPhones.