Why Apple’s AirPower Wireless Charger Is Taking So Long to Make
- Engineers hoped for June launch; company aims for September
- Several new Apple products have been delayed in recent years
This article is for subscribers only.
When Apple Inc. introduced AirPods earbuds in 2016, chief designer Jony Ive hailed the beginning of a new "wireless future." The company’s devices would connect and charge without fiddly white cords and unsightly plugs and sockets.
The next step was wireless charging for the iPhone, the ability to drop Apple’s flagship product on a charging mat and juice it up via a process known as induction. This accessory is taking longer to make due to a series of technical hurdles, slowing the company’s wireless strategy and highlighting supply-chain challenges that have hampered product launches in recent years.