The Apple AirPower Mat, announced all the way back in September 2017, has finally gone into production. The Qi-compatible wireless charger can charge multiple devices at once simply by placing them on the mat.
Back then, Apple had said that the device will be released early in 2018, only to keep totally silent on the matter throughout the year. This led some to believe it may have been canceled altogether, but a new rumor points otherwise. The AirPower Mat is coming soon!
Apple starts mass producing the AirPower Mat
Hong Kong website ChargerLAB recently tweeted that Apple’s AirPower Mat has now gone into production. Citing a “credible source”, the website claims that Chinese manufacturer Luxshare Precision has started production of the device. The device will be released soon, the “source” tells ChargerLAB. Luxshare also builds Apple’s AirPods and USB-C cables.
ChargerLAB went on to tweet that another manufacturer, Pegatron, would also be producing the device alongside Luxshare Precision. Pegatron, which is also an Apple OEM in Asia, will start mass producing the AirPower Mat on January 21. The tweets fall in line with earlier reports which suggested that Pegatron would also be involved in manufacturing of the device.
The AirPower Mat was delayed due to reported interference and overheating issues. Apple seems to have finally overcome the technical issues. The device reportedly has three layers of coils in 8-7-7 configuration from bottom to top.
In October 2018, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said that the AirPower Mat could be released in first quarter 2019. The same was reiterated by developer Steve Troughton-Smith a couple of weeks ago. He said that Apple have overcome technical challenges with the device and could move forward with a release.
Now the recent tweets from ChargerLAB further suggests of an impending release. As speculated by Steve, may be alongside the smart battery case for the iPhone XS.
