The keynote that we have experienced today has been one of the most important presentations in recent times, not only for the new products but for the amount of new technology implemented in them. For iPhone 8 and iPhone X, the wireless charging, something that many users expected for several generations.
It has also been presented AirPower, Apple's wireless charging base, which will not see the light until 2018 since apparently the big apple has to review the Qi standards on which this new accessory is based, with which they can be charged simultaneously three devices.
A necessary accessory but that will take time to see: the AirPower
Let's get things clear: Qi is not Apple's own technology. Qi technology is a standard for wireless energy transfer, or what is the same: induction charging. The compatibility based on this standard has a series of requirements among which are, in the case of the new iPhones, the rear glass of the iPhone 8 and iPhone X, as justified by Apple in its press release today:
The rear glass design enables a world-class wireless charging solution.
The mobile device is placed on top of the platform and the receiver, which is the device, is powered by induction. This technology was created with the aim of establishing a standard usable by all companies for inductive charging.
AirPower is nothing more than using this technology for the benefit of Apple reinventing it by offering a new product. In this case it is a wireless charging base larger than normal, with which we can charge several devices at the same time (three devices, specifically) among which are the new Apple WatchSeries 3, iPhone 8 and 8 Plus, AirPods (with the new housing) and the iPhone X.
If we have the iPhone connected, an animation will appear every time we deposit a device in the charging base. These animations were leaked in iOS GM and they gave us one more clue about the final design of the iPhone X. The main problem is that we do not know if the AirPower will be compatible with other Qi standards, that is, if other smartphones can be charged with the Apple base.
The accessory will be available during 2018 due to issues related to Qi standards that have to be confirmed by different legal entities. Apple has ensured that it will be available at the beginning of the year, but there is no official confirmation of the compatibility nor the price, which will surely be high if it is compatible with third-party devices.