Apple would no longer by developing its much awaited AirPower wireless charging pad and all plans of the company to that effect have been scuttled, the company said on Friday.
"After much effort, we've concluded AirPower will not achieve our high standards, and we have canceled the project," said Dan Riccio, Apple's senior vice president of hardware engineering. "We apologise to those customers who were looking forward to this launch."
Such an announcement by the iPhone maker is a rare even for the US tech giant. The first announcement of the apparatus was made by Apple in 2017 with the promise of launching te bring in g the product to the market the next year. The company had even released marketing photos of the device but has delayed its launch since.
Over the past year, there had been several occasions when it was rumoured that the device would be launched by the company. There were articles in the media as recently as last week about the possible launch of the device any day soon. But when Apple held a product launch event this week, only its new digital services was unveiled. And last week, the company had announced new updates of some of its hardware.
The drop in sale of its flagship iPhones in recent quarters has forced the company to diversify in the search for new avenues for revenues apart from hardware and has focused on services. The company announced the launch of three new subscription based service in areas of news, video games and original video.
However, questions about the ability of the company to focus on new areas even while being able to maintain its dominance and competitive edge in the field of high end computer hardware – an area that has been dominated by it for quite long, because this cancellation of the AirPower project.
Apple customers have been fed with the idea of a wireless charger for some time now. Ever since Apple launched its iPhone 8 in September of 2017, the iPhones had been equipped with capabilities for wireless charging. Its Apple Watch has always had wireless charging. The company also marked a major improvement in its wireless charging capabilities with the launch last week of its new version of AirPods wireless ear buds.
Wireless charging pads are manufactured by third parties that are compatible with Apple's devices.
There have been some major hardware hiccups for in the past. For example, the antennae of its iPhone 4 did not function properly which has now come to be known as the "antenna gate." The company had to recently also apologise for some issues with the keyboard on some of its laptops. However the company making a public announcement about anything that it had not yet launched is a rarity.
The technology behind wireless charging is challenging. Such devices have a tendency to be full of glitches and there are confusing standards even though the technology has been around for quite some time now.
In the statement, Riccio said that Apple is still bullish on wireless charging, and that the company is "committed to push the wireless experience forward."
(Source:www.ndtv.com)
"After much effort, we've concluded AirPower will not achieve our high standards, and we have canceled the project," said Dan Riccio, Apple's senior vice president of hardware engineering. "We apologise to those customers who were looking forward to this launch."
Such an announcement by the iPhone maker is a rare even for the US tech giant. The first announcement of the apparatus was made by Apple in 2017 with the promise of launching te bring in g the product to the market the next year. The company had even released marketing photos of the device but has delayed its launch since.
Over the past year, there had been several occasions when it was rumoured that the device would be launched by the company. There were articles in the media as recently as last week about the possible launch of the device any day soon. But when Apple held a product launch event this week, only its new digital services was unveiled. And last week, the company had announced new updates of some of its hardware.
The drop in sale of its flagship iPhones in recent quarters has forced the company to diversify in the search for new avenues for revenues apart from hardware and has focused on services. The company announced the launch of three new subscription based service in areas of news, video games and original video.
However, questions about the ability of the company to focus on new areas even while being able to maintain its dominance and competitive edge in the field of high end computer hardware – an area that has been dominated by it for quite long, because this cancellation of the AirPower project.
Apple customers have been fed with the idea of a wireless charger for some time now. Ever since Apple launched its iPhone 8 in September of 2017, the iPhones had been equipped with capabilities for wireless charging. Its Apple Watch has always had wireless charging. The company also marked a major improvement in its wireless charging capabilities with the launch last week of its new version of AirPods wireless ear buds.
Wireless charging pads are manufactured by third parties that are compatible with Apple's devices.
There have been some major hardware hiccups for in the past. For example, the antennae of its iPhone 4 did not function properly which has now come to be known as the "antenna gate." The company had to recently also apologise for some issues with the keyboard on some of its laptops. However the company making a public announcement about anything that it had not yet launched is a rarity.
The technology behind wireless charging is challenging. Such devices have a tendency to be full of glitches and there are confusing standards even though the technology has been around for quite some time now.
In the statement, Riccio said that Apple is still bullish on wireless charging, and that the company is "committed to push the wireless experience forward."
(Source:www.ndtv.com)
Homepage
Send to a friend
Printable version
Share
