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A year without Apple's wireless-charging mat
At Apple's iPhone event last year, the company announced its AirPower charging mat -- a device that promised a way to wirelessly charge your iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods all at the same time. But 12 months later, Apple still hasn't delivered on that promise, and we've been left twiddling our thumbs and charging our Apple devices with cords like schmucks. Today you'll be able to follow our liveblog to see if our wait is finally over, but in the meantime, here are a few instances over the past year where the lack of AirPower was both glaring and egregious.
Mophie's new battery packs can charge phones wirelessly
This week, Mophie announced four new wireless charging products. These include the Charge Stream Vent Mount, the Charge Stream Desk Stand, the Charge Stream Powerstation Wireless and the Charge Stream Powerstation Wireless XL, which function as both wireless charging pads and power banks.
Mophie co-founders launch eco-friendly mobile accessory brand
Some of the folks behind Mophie have launched a new company called Nimble dedicated to eco-friendly smartphone accessories. Nimble launches today with a slate of new products, including wireless charging pads, stands and travel kits, along with four portable charges, all ranging in price from $40 to $100. Each product is built using plant-based bioplastics, hemp fabrics, recycled plastic bottles and recycled aluminum. The company uses speckled TPE texture rather than toxic paints and the packaging is plastic free and 100 percent compostable.
Latest Pixel 3 XL leak shows wireless charging in action
There have been hints Google's Pixel 3 line would support wireless charging, but it now appears to be a virtual lock. Maxim Khoroshev has posted a video showing a Pixel 3 XL topping up on a wireless charger. While it's not exactly a dramatic event (the device plays an animation hinted at in earlier code), it suggests that Google phone fans will finally get the Qi charging they've missed since the Nexus days. The quick clip also supports notions that Google is using an all-glass back to make wireless power a viable option.
Samsung's Wireless Charger Duo powers up your phone and smartwatch
Wireless charging is a huge quality-of-life upgrade, and Samsung knows it. That's why the company (briefly) showed off its new Wireless Charger Duo onstage at the Galaxy Note 9 event this morning. Like the rumors suggested, this pair of power pads can charge the Galaxy Note 9 and Galaxy Watch simultaneously. The Wireless Charger Duo is now available to order in Black for $120, with shipping listed as "7 to 10 business days."
Logitech's wireless iPhone charging stand helps you watch movies
Wireless chargers are often finicky things: they tend to require that you place your phone just so, and stands usually preclude you from using your phone in anything but a vertical position. Logitech and Apple think they can lick both of those problems at once. They've teamed up on Powered, an iPhone-oriented wireless charging stand that promises to keep your device topped up no matter how you're using it. The cradle design both simplifies placement (just drop it in and go) and lets you charge while the phone is turned sideways -- helpful if you're determined to finish watching a movie when you return home.
Samsung may have an answer to Apple's AirPower wireless charger
Whenever Apple releases its AirPower multi-device charger, it might have some fresh competition. Recently discovered images and listings have revealed Samsung's Wireless Charger Duo, which (as the name implies) could offer fast charging to two devices at once. It wouldn't be as flexible as Apple's device since you'd need to place your devices on specific spots. However, you could top up a phone and the upcoming Galaxy Watch at the same time, or even two phones at once if you're using it as a family charging station.
Apple's next AirPods case may also charge your iPhone
Apple is reportedly about to give you a new way to wirelessly charge your iPhone: by using your AirPods case. The plan, if it comes to fruition, will let you top up your phone (as long as it's an iPhone 8, 8 Plus or X) using the case for your earbuds while you're on the go. Apple could make the feature available by the end of the year, but that's likely dependent on the company releasing the long-awaited wireless charging version of the cases by then.
Apple's AirPower wireless charger could launch around September
Apple's iPhone X, iPhone 8 and 8 Plus are the company's first devices to include wireless charging support. Back when they announced last September, Apple also said it would be releasing its own wireless charging mat, called AirPower. This wasn't like every other mat out there, though, in that it could charge multiple devices at once -- an iPhone X, Apple Watch Series 3 and a set of AirPods, for example. The AirPower was given a vague 2018 release date, but according to sources speaking to Bloomberg, development of the mat has been marred with issues. Apparently it was expected to be on sale by this month, but is now likely to hit shelves around September, probably with the AirPods wireless charging case in tow.
BMW's wireless car charging pad arrives this summer
The notion of wirelessly charging your car is no longer a distant prospect... if you have the right ride. Car has heard that BMW will start producing an inductive charging pad for the 530e plug-in hybrid in July, with a release by the end of the summer. Autoblog has confirmed that the pad will be available in the US in addition to the expected European release. It's not certain how much the pad will cost, but one thing's for sure: you can't just walk into the dealership and buy one.
Mophie pad offers fast wireless charging for Apple and Samsung phones
You frequently have to be picky when you get a fast wireless charging pad: a device that tops up your Galaxy S9 at high speed might recharge your partner's iPhone X at a humdrum pace. Mophie thinks it can create some harmony with its new Charge Stream Pad+, however. The Qi-compatible puck delivers the maximum wireless charging speed possible for both Apple and Samsung handsets, topping out at 7.5W for the iPhone X/8 and 10W for numerous Galaxy models. Mophie's original iPhone-oriented pad stopped at 7.5W regardless of the device you were using, so it wasn't particularly compelling unless you lived in an Apple-centric household.
Apple's AirPower wireless charging mat could launch in March
Apple may be close to launching another one of the numerous products it teased last year. Sources talking to both MacOtakara and the Apple Post have claimed that the company's AirPower wireless charging mat should ship sometime in late March, about half a year after its September premiere. This would reportedly include the wireless charging case for AirPods, too. You might have to buy the case directly from Apple if you're upgrading an existing pair of earbuds, but multiple stores would sell a version of the AirPods with the wireless charging case included.
GAC's En Verge concept packs a digital dash and AR for passengers
Chinese automaker GAC is making waves at the North American International Auto Show. "We want you to give us a chance to challenge ourselves," GAC group president Feng Xingya said from the stage, before unveiling GAC's first all-electric concept, the En Verge. The En Verge is a two-door compact crossover SUV. The first thing you'll notice are those massive ports on the front bumper. While they look like they're for cooling, they're actually removable fog lamps. Called G-Torches, they double as flashlights for when you want to do some off-trail exploring. Handy!
Razer's Hyperflux wireless mouse is powered by its pad
Pads that wirelessly charge mice aren't new, but they are difficult to pull off, especially when appealing to the high-performance gaming crowd. We found Logitech's effort -- its PowerPlay system of mat and companion mice -- hit the right mix of reliability and ultra-low signal delay to be a viable choice. Not to be outdone, Razer introduced its own attempt at CES: the Hyperflux suite.
Wireless charging nears unification as Powermat cedes to Qi
Consumers have been living with multiple wireless charging standards for six years, but those annoying times are nearly over. Powermat, which uses the Airfuel Inductive standard that is the only real contender to the dominant format Qi, has joined the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC) and now backs Qi. "Qi has become the dominant wireless charging standard on the market and the recently launched Apple iPhone lineup is evidence of this success," Powermat said in a statement. "[We] will share technology innovation to further unlock wireless charging potential, and will expedite the growth of the wireless charging infrastructure."
Apple wireless charging patent describes ability to prioritize devices
Two patent applications published today by the US Patent and Trademark Office give us a peek into what kind of mobile device charging options Apple may be giving us in the future. As VentureBeat reports, the two applications were both filed in June though neither have been approved yet.
FCC approves first wireless 'power-at-a-distance' charging system
Charging your mobile device wirelessly is certainly less of a hassle than plugging it in, but still requires the device be in physical contact with its station to actually work. That's about to change now that the Federal Communications Commission has approved the first wireless charger that works from up to three feet away.
Apple releases iOS 11.2 with Apple Pay Cash and a bug fix
Apple doesn't usually release its iOS updates in the middle of the night, but it appears to have pushed the 11.2 schedule forward thanks to a date bug that just started making iPhones reset. iOS 11.2 is a pretty major update and it also brings new features, including a Venmo or Square Cash-like person-to-person money transfer system, Apple Pay Cash (available only in the US, for now -- and according to reports, it's not actually live yet). If you have the new iPhone 8, 8 Plus or X, it also adds support for faster 7.5W wireless charging when used with a compatible Wireless Qi pad, and it updates the control center to let you know what's really happening when you try to turn Bluetooth or WiFi on and off. There are new emoji for everyone, and MacRumors points out there's a sports section in the TV app now that curates live games streaming via the ESPN app. The most recent beta version of iOS 11.2 was just released yesterday, and a little more than twelve hours later it's rolling out to everyone. Apple has had a bad month in terms of software issues, but at least we can let you know that there is a fix. Go ahead and look for the latest software update on compatible iPhones (5s and later), iPads (Air or mini 2 and later) and the sixth generation iPod touch.
The best computer and mobile accessories to give as gifts
Perhaps the person on your list is already quite happy with their laptop or mobile device (slash, you're not up to buying them a new one). There are plenty of accessories that make for affordable, and dare we say, practical gifts. Included in our holiday gift guide are two styles of keyboards, a high-end mouse, a battery pack, selfie and battery cases, a 400GB (!) microSDXC card, Bluetooth trackers and a wireless charging pad -- useful for, say, a new iPhone owner.
Apple acquires wireless charging company PowerbyProxi
Since Apple made wireless chargers to go with its latest iPhones, it's safe to say that it already has a team working on the technology. It sounds like the tech titan wants to expand its presence in the space, though, because it has just purchased New Zealand company PowerbyProxi. The Auckland firm is best known for creating the Proxi-Module platform, a modular wireless power and data system that can be adapted and incorporated into various types of devices to give them wireless capabilities. A few years ago, Samsung also invested $4 million into the firm but clearly didn't snap it up completely.
