Apple AirPower could arrive by early 2021 (at around $250)
What's the story
Apple's AirPower wireless charger, that is believed to be back in the works, could go official by late 2020 or early 2021, according to reputed tech analyst Jon Prosser. In a detailed tip-off, he has also revealed a concept design of the AirPower prototype that Apple is currently testing, highlighting a mat-like form-factor we saw on the original model that got scrapped last year.
Design
Apple AirPower will use a Lightning connection and not Type-C
According to the prototype shared by Prosser, the resurrected AirPower will look the same as the original model. It will retain the familiar mat-like design and offer enough surface area to simultaneously charge your iPhone, AirPods, and an Apple Watch. Prosser also claims that the wireless charger will get a Lightning port on the right side to draw power.
Internal construction
Fewer coils, less overlapping
On the previous-generation AirPower, Apple wanted to pack enough coils so that a user could charge his device by placing it anywhere on the pad. However, with more coils and an intricate overlapping layout, it encountered serious overheating and interference issues. Hence, on the new version, the tech giant is opting for fewer coils and comparatively less overlapping of the components.
Major improvement
The wireless charger gets an A11 chip for heat management
Alongside adopting a simpler coil layout, Apple's new AirPower will also pack an A11 chipset for improved heat management. According to an earlier tip-off from Prosser himself, using this new chipset allows the charging mat "to route power to specific coil regions" and "dynamically wait for temperatures to drop before applying more power."
Information
AirPower could be priced around $250
Prosser claims that if Apple is able to successfully complete this project, we could see the AirPower sometime by the end of this year or early 2021. As for the pocket-pinch, the wireless charging mat would be priced around $250 (approximately Rs. 19,000).