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Apple Cancels AirPower Product

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Re: Apple Cancels AirPower Product

#161

Post by andyfleming »

bluthru wrote: post #136
andyfleming wrote: post #5

It seems like they could have cancelled the multi-device charger and just released a single-device charger branded as AirPower.

I'm not sure why Apple thought people were willing to spend $100 more just so they wouldn't need to be precise with how products were placed on the charging pad. Just make some indentations for the watch and airpods and be done with it.

Yeah, I agree that would be fine. It's not quite as elegant, but I think consumers would have been ok with it. There are also similar solutions already out there. Example: https://www.amazon.com/Bestand-H05-Grey-Aluminum-Charging-Qi...

Re: Apple Cancels AirPower Product

#162

Post by chrischen »

stingrae wrote: post #73
tunesmith wrote: post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What's the downside of Qi chargers? (Assuming they didn't figure out some hardware problem that Apple couldn't figure out.)

They typically charge devices slower than the wired approach and I find it is sometimes hard to place a phone in just the right spot where it charges. What Apple was doing that was hard, was to charge multiple devices at a time on a single pad without having set locations.

Fast chargers should charge faster than the default 5 watt wired charger.

Re: Apple Cancels AirPower Product

#163

Post by save_ferris »

notatoad wrote: post #101
minimaxir wrote: post #2

The whole AirPower saga is a weird event in product development. AirPower compatibility was highlighted as a feature in the packaging of the just-released AirPods 2 : https://twitter.com/itsnicolenguyen/status/11106569269650636... There has to be something that caused this abrupt cancellation.

I'm guessing the unexpected hype was what caused the "cancellation", and AirPower isn't really any more cancelled than it was yesterday. I'm imagining some engineering teem at Apple telling their bosses "yeah, it's almost ready" and the bosses believing them without really caring, because it's just a silly accessory and no big deal, right? And then since the AirPods 2 announcemen, the internet has been rabid with ant…

This doesn't make much sense to me.

Apple is the tech marketing messiah, why would they announce AirPower at a major product demo and think that it somehow wouldn't be hyped? This is a really strange fumble for them.

It was also listed as a major feature for the new AirPods, that doesn't seem like something Apple would slap on a box knowing they probably weren't going to ship, especially if was a "silly accessory."

I can totally see an engineering team BSing leadership on the product readiness, but there had to be internal pressure on this. Apple knows this looks bad after investors weren't super impressed with the News+ demo.

Re: Apple Cancels AirPower Product

#164

Post by threeseed »

minimaxir wrote: post #82
tambourine_man wrote: post #33

Instead of reliable WiFi routers and induction chargers, Mac Pros and you know, laptop keyboards that you can actually type on… We get a credit card, news and streaming service that no one wants or understands. I really don’t get Apple's priorities recently. Which is a shame, since few companies step to the chalange of serving the expensive high quality tech stuff market. And what happened to the company that wouldn’…

Interestingly the reception to the credit card was the most positive of all the announcements on Monday.

People use their credit card dozens of times a day.

Even small innovations can end up being a big deal. And the ability to identity the source of transactions based on geolocation is pretty cool.

Re: Apple Cancels AirPower Product

#166

Post by chrischen »

beams_of_light wrote: post #155
fetus8 wrote: post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I mean, it's abundantly clear where their priorities are right now...and that's Services. I suppose Services make more money and please the stockholders, but damn if it ain't disappointing to their user-base.

Everyone's trying to get away from their niches, and into anything involving MRR or ad revenue with software & services. It's a sad state of affairs.

Yea turning everything into a subscription is the hot stuff now, even if it makes no sense to be a subscription.

My git client, password manager, have all become subscriptions! Why??

Re: Apple Cancels AirPower Product

#167

Post by Cyph0n »

bdcravens wrote: post #140
vbezhenar wrote: post #97

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What do you mean by "Apple will accept returns"? There's no Apple Store in my country and I'm not sure that ordinary shops would accept returns, especially after box was opened.

Can't speak to what's available in your country, but I've never had issues returning opened stuff (Best Buy, Microcenter, etc) as long as it's in new condition and in the original box, with receipt (most stores have a 14 day return period)

Heh, that’s almost unheard of in the Middle East for example. You have to fight tooth and nail to even get basic warranty.

Not sure about the rest of the world, but I would say that the US is an outlier when it comes to return policies.

Re: Apple Cancels AirPower Product

#168

Post by Baeocystin »

swozey wrote: post #100
mikestew wrote: post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'll state up front that my experience with Qi is from about five years ago with a Samsung Note 3 with a Samsung induction charging case. But I found it to be fiddly enough (have to hit the sweet spot on between the charger and the coils on the case/phone) to be just barely more convenient than plugging in. My impression of what AirPower was supposed to do was allow me to just throw my shit on the nightstand charging…

They're way better now, but I specifically only buy the Samsungs with fast charging that have a fan built in. I have to really mangle how it's put on the charger (like half of the phone hanging off the edge) to have any issues. I've got a few of these for my old s8 and s10 and they work great. Only downside I can think of is when my battery is low and I need to keep taking the phone off the charger to respond to some…

I have one of those for my S8+. It's nominally better in terms of positioning tolerance than the old Qi charger I had for my Droid, but not by much. I still have to have the phone within a couple of millimeters of the left-right sweet spot for it to work. I'm glad I have the charger, but it's still pretty fiddly. Maybe it has a wider range if you don't use a case, so that the back of the phone is closer to the mat. Aside to those considering: it charges noticeably slower than the straight plug fast charge, but still faster than the old, non fast charge systems.

Re: Apple Cancels AirPower Product

#169

Post by chrischen »

notatoad wrote: post #101
minimaxir wrote: post #2

The whole AirPower saga is a weird event in product development. AirPower compatibility was highlighted as a feature in the packaging of the just-released AirPods 2 : https://twitter.com/itsnicolenguyen/status/11106569269650636... There has to be something that caused this abrupt cancellation.

I'm guessing the unexpected hype was what caused the "cancellation", and AirPower isn't really any more cancelled than it was yesterday. I'm imagining some engineering teem at Apple telling their bosses "yeah, it's almost ready" and the bosses believing them without really caring, because it's just a silly accessory and no big deal, right? And then since the AirPods 2 announcemen, the internet has been rabid with ant…

Or maybe it was working but then yesterday one burst into flames during testing which was the final straw. They don’t want to pull a Samsungs now do they?

Re: Apple Cancels AirPower Product

#170

Post by chrischen »

save_ferris wrote: post #163
notatoad wrote: post #101

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm guessing the unexpected hype was what caused the "cancellation", and AirPower isn't really any more cancelled than it was yesterday. I'm imagining some engineering teem at Apple telling their bosses "yeah, it's almost ready" and the bosses believing them without really caring, because it's just a silly accessory and no big deal, right? And then since the AirPods 2 announcemen, the internet has been rabid with ant…

This doesn't make much sense to me. Apple is the tech marketing messiah, why would they announce AirPower at a major product demo and think that it somehow wouldn't be hyped? This is a really strange fumble for them. It was also listed as a major feature for the new AirPods, that doesn't seem like something Apple would slap on a box knowing they probably weren't going to ship, especially if was a "silly accessory." I…

They overpromised and didn’t deliver, to avoid under delivering.
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