Qi Wireless Charging Has a Problem, But Here’s How Apple Can Fix It

Wireless charging is supposedly the future, but there are a number of issues with wireless charging in its current state. 

For example, many wireless chargers on the market today are painfully slow. And there just aren’t enough Qi-based solutions in public places like airports or coffee shops. But perhaps one of the most critical issues holding Qi wireless charging back is its finickiness.

As Forbes contributor Simon Rockman noted in a recent piece, attempting to charge a device on a wireless charger isn’t always as easy as it appears.

That’s because most Qi-based chargers rely on a one-to-one relationship between the charging surface and the device that’s being charged.

The wireless charging coil on a Qi-based device needs to line up with the charging coil on the mat. Because of that, there’s a “sweet spot” that you actually need to place your device in for charging to commence.

For many consumers, finding this sweet spot requires some experimentation. And even if a user does get used to the coil placement, there’s always the chance they’ll attempt to charge their device overnight and still wake up with a dead smartphone.

Saying this is the only reason Qi isn’t more widespread among consumers is probably oversimplifying. But it’s still a likely factor, especially since consumers are already used to wired charging — which is nearly as convenient and sometimes much faster.

And yet, this is exactly when Apple’s long-awaited AirPower charging mat would come in.

AirPower is based on the Qi standard, but it actually leverages the inductive proprietary charging technology used in the Apple Watch, too.

More importantly, AirPower is said to be able to charge multiple devices at once regardless of where those devices are placed on the actual charging surface. That suggests multiple, overlapping charging components.

In other words, when AirPower launches, it will likely be the only device of its kind that can charge your iPhone (or Apple Watch, or AirPods charging case) no matter where you place it on the mat.

Then again, that ambitious charging setup may just be AirPower’s undoing: Apple has apparently run into overheating issues with the device. At the very least, that fact is probably a contributor to AirPower’s delay.

The device was first unveiled way back in fall of 2017 — with a promised release date sometime in 2018. Since then, it’s been missing, and Apple has even gone so far as to scrub its website of any references to the first-party accessory.

But, despite rumors that it’s been scrapped, there are multiple reports that AirPower is indeed on the way.

Which brings up another question: will AirPower be able to make a dent in the wireless charging market? Its rumored price point is likely to be much higher than the many third-party solutions currently available, but its sleek design, tight Apple integration, and its aforementioned charging abilities, the answer may very well be yes.