Apple's 'legendary' AirPower concept, in theory fast charging three Qi-enabled devices simultaneously and paving the way for port-less iPhones in the future, has been officially cancelled, ostensibly because it couldn't be done for 'thermal reasons'. Which does sound about right, I think Apple aimed too high here. But I did think it worth noting that multi-Qi fast charging has been around for a few months already and wanted to remind readers that I'd already reviewed such a pad - and have been using it every day since, to great effect.

From El Reg:

“After much effort, we’ve concluded AirPower will not achieve our high standards and we have cancelled the project," said Dan Riccio, SVP of hardware engineering, in a statement sent to various publications (Apple eschews The Register.

"We apologize to those customers who were looking forward to this launch. We continue to believe that the future is wireless and are committed to push the wireless experience forward."

Apple announced AirPower in September 2017, promising that it "will allow iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus or iPhone X customers to simultaneously charge up to three devices, including Apple Watch Series 3 and a new optional wireless charging case for AirPods."

The cancellation came suddenly enough that Apple included an image of the product on its just-released AirPod 2 packaging.

At which point, think back a few months to my original review of the Choetech T535-S 5-coil two-device Qi charger:

However, it's not the current/power that's important here, it's the array of five Qi coils that means a charging connection is made however you position a compatible phone and also when you place two Qi devices/phones on, i.e. side by side, as shown below. I've ringed the charging indicators (ok, they're not easy to read even this close up!) to prove that the accessory is working as claimed.

It's liberating to be able to bung a phone on a Qi charger without having to get it 'right' within a few millimetres of a single coil charging centre - here there's a five inch by two inch charging 'area' and as long as your phone(s) coils are centred somewhere within this region then Qi charging will start.

It really is a great addition to a desk in 2019 and I routinely have two phones to charge in this way.

I suspect Apple wanted up to 2A Qi charging in their cancelled AirPower so that they could dispense with cable charging in the future - picture three family iPhones on charge, each trying to draw 2A, then factor in electromagnetic and conversion inefficiencies and you get up to about 50W. And, understandably this will start heating all the hardware up, certainly beyond Apple's guidelines - heat is bad for Li-Ion batteries in general!

Anyway, never mind Apple - go Choetech!