AirPower References in iOS 12.1 Code Suggest Continuing Development

Guilherme Rambo, writing for 9to5Mac:

However, new evidence from the iPhone XS and iOS 12.1 suggests that, while it may be delayed, development of AirPower continues. Looking into iOS 12.1, we noticed that the component of iOS responsible for managing the charging interface that appears when using AirPower has been updated, which means that Apple is still actively working on the project.

Furthermore, a picture of the “getting started guide” that comes packaged with the iPhone XS clearly mentions AirPower. “Place iPhone with screen facing up on AirPower or a Qi-certified wireless charger,” it reads. The image was shared on Twitter by Gavin Stephens.

If Apple was planning on cancelling the project altogether, then it would definitely not be mentioning it in the packaging of the brand new devices.

This is good news. Makes me wonder though, if AirPower is going to debut this year, when? It doesn’t make a lot of sense to announce it on stage at an October event for new MacBooks and iPads, because neither of those products will charge inductively. But I guess they could do it alongside the promised new AirPods case.

My other thought: maybe Apple has no plans to talk about AirPower on stage at any event, and they’re just going to release it for sale when it’s ready. They might not want to talk about it because they don’t want to acknowledge — or ignore — the fact that it’s so late.

★ Monday, 24 September 2018