Well this is awkward. Months after cancelling its AirPower wireless charging mat due to technical challenges, Apple has started selling an equivalent from a third-party, which was apparently able to succeed where it failed.
Apple is now offering visitors to its Apple Store online and physical outlets the chance to grab the Mophie 3-in-1 wireless charging pad for iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods. In case you’d forgotten, this was the proposition Apple failed to deliver and gave up on around 18 months after its initial unveiling.
The Mophie device goes on sale today and will deliver 7.5W of power Tony of Apple’s Qi-enabled devices, like latter-day iPhones and the AirPods wireless charging case. It also features an integrated charging stand for the Apple Watch.
Related: Why was AirPower cancelled?
Mophie says (via TechCrunch) its $139.95 (around £115) charging pad even holds the smartwatch at an ideal angle for watchOS’s Nightstand Mode, bringing an unobstructed view of the screen.
While there have been a number of third-party solutions promising to do what AirPower could not, Mophie brings the trustworthiness of years of making premium Made for iPhone accessories that have long been sold via Apple’s official portals.
Back in March, Apple’s senior vice president of hardware engineering, Dan Riccio, finally put AirPower-fanciers out of their misery.
“After much effort, we’ve concluded AirPower will not achieve our high standards and we have cancelled the project,” he said. “We apologize to those customers who were looking forward to this launch. We continue to believe that the future is wireless and are committed to push the wireless experience forward.”
The company did not reveal exactly why it gave up on the AirPower solution, but overheating is widely thought to be the cause of the issues Apple could not overcome. Will you be investing in Mophie’s interpretation of what AirPower might have been? Let us know @TrustedReviews on Twitter.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
