'Industry Insiders' Believe AirPower Will Cost Around $149 and Work With All Three 2018 iPhones

Apple previewed its multi-device AirPower charging mat at its iPhone X event last September, and confirmed that it will be released at some point in 2018, but it has yet to reveal how much it will cost.

airpoweriphone8
According to Chinese website Chongdiantou (via LoveiOS), however, so-called "industry insiders" speculate that the AirPower will be priced around 1,000 Chinese yuan, which is roughly $145 based on the current exchange rate. Rounding, this suggests the AirPower could cost around $149 in the United States.

Chongdiantou is the same source that recently leaked photos of what is claimed to be an engineering prototype of Apple's faster 18-watt USB-C power adapter for 2018 iPhones, but overall, the publication lacks an established track record, so this information should be viewed with some skepticism.

According to the oft-reliable Mark Gurman, Apple aims to release the AirPower by the end of September, so there's a good chance its pricing and availability will be confirmed at Apple's usual September event, alongside a trio of new iPhones, Apple Watch Series 4 models, new AirPods with "Hey Siri" support, and more.

$149 would be pricy for a wireless charging mat, but the AirPower can inductively charge multiple Apple devices at the same time, including the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone X, and Apple Watch Series 3 models. It will also work with AirPods when placed in an optional wireless charging case, likely available next month.

Chongdiantou also recently claimed that all three iPhones expected to be released in 2018 will feature wireless charging, including an all-new 6.1-inch iPhone, making them all compatible with AirPower.

AirPower's ability to charge multiple devices is achieved with a propriety technology developed by Apple. Apple said it will work to have its technology become part of the universal Qi standard supported by many devices, so there's a good chance we'll see true multi-device mats from other companies eventually.

Of note, the AirPower has yet to be authorized by the FCC, a requirement for sale in the United States, according to Apple's website.

Top Rated Comments

levitynyc Avatar
67 months ago
I would have laughed if this was $99.

At $149, I can't even muster an emotion to display how ridiculous this is.
Score: 35 Votes (Like | Disagree)
rrm74001 Avatar
67 months ago
Overpriced and way late to market.
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
philipglamb Avatar
67 months ago
I can't wait to spend $150 to charge my phone at night.
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
555gallardo Avatar
67 months ago
Considering all 2017 iPhones are compatible with wireless charging, I wonder how hard was it for those industry insiders to figure out that it would apply to all three 2018 models.
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
naturalstar Avatar
67 months ago
The last rumor was $199, so maybe by the time it actually comes out, it will be $99.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Dave245 Avatar
67 months ago
Overpriced and way late to market.
As far as i'm aware Apple's Airpower is the only wireless charger that can charge 3 devices at the same time and when placed anywhere on the mat.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

Multi Display CarPlay 1

All-New Apple CarPlay Launching Later This Year With These 5 New Features

Friday September 29, 2023 11:29 am PDT by
At WWDC 2022 last year, Apple previewed the next generation of CarPlay, promising deeper integration with vehicle functions like A/C and FM radio, support for multiple displays across the dashboard, personalization options, and more. Apple said the first vehicles with support for the next-generation CarPlay experience would be announced in late 2023, but it has still not shared any additional...
BMW Logo iPhone 15 Pro

Warning: BMW Wireless Charging May Break iPhone 15's Apple Pay Chip

Sunday October 1, 2023 6:14 am PDT by
If you have an iPhone 15 and drive a BMW, it might be best to avoid charging the device with the vehicle's wireless charging pad for now. Over the past week, some BMW owners have complained that their iPhone 15's NFC chip no longer works after charging the device with their vehicle's wireless charging pad, according to comments shared on the MacRumors Forums and X, formerly known as Twitter. ...
iPhone 15 Pro lineup

Apple to Address iPhone 15 Pro Overheating Issue With iOS 17 Update

Saturday September 30, 2023 9:28 am PDT by
Apple plans to release an iOS 17 update to address a bug that may contribute to the reported iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max overheating issue, according to a statement the company shared today with MacRumors and Forbes reporter David Phelan. Apple also says some recent updates to third-party apps have overloaded the system and contributed to the overheating issue. The report notes that...
iphone se 4 modified flag edges

iPhone SE 4 Details: Action Button, USB-C Port, Face ID, and More

Wednesday September 27, 2023 1:34 pm PDT by
Significant changes are expected to arrive with Apple's fourth-generation iPhone SE, in terms of both design and hardware, MacRumors has learned. The iPhone SE 4, known internally under the codename Ghost, is expected to receive a new design derived almost entirely from the base model iPhone 14. According to our sources, the iPhone SE 4 will use a modified version of the iPhone 14 chassis...
iPhone 16 Side Feature

iPhone 16 and 16 Pro: Preliminary Weights and Dimensions

Friday September 29, 2023 12:34 pm PDT by
MacRumors has obtained preliminary information on the weights and dimensions planned for the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max. The information corroborates previous reports suggesting that the iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max will feature larger displays. iPhone 16 and 16 Plus Current information suggests that the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus will maintain the same...
CarPlay SharePlay

CarPlay Not Working for Some iPhone 15 Users, Possibly Because of USB-C Cables

Friday September 29, 2023 2:27 pm PDT by
CarPlay is not working as expected for some iPhone 15 users, an issue that is likely linked to the transition to USB-C. There are multiple complaints from MacRumors readers and Reddit users who are unable to get CarPlay to work with their new devices. Cable type and available port options are a common theme in the CarPlay reports, with many of the functionality problems linked to USB-A to...
iOS 17

Everything New in iOS 17.1 Beta 1

Wednesday September 27, 2023 1:57 pm PDT by
Just a week after releasing iOS 17, Apple has seeded the first beta of iOS 17.1 to developers. iOS 17.1 adds some features that Apple promised were coming to iOS 17 in the future, plus it refines and improves some existing features. This guide covers everything new in the first iOS 17.1 beta. Apple Music Favorites You can favorite songs, albums, playlists, and artists in the iOS 17.1...