Rumor: AirPower may have entered production phase

At long last, the AirPower charging mat might have entered production.
Hong Kong website ChargerLAB cites a “credible source” within Apple’s supply chain who claims Chinese manufacturer Luxshare Precision has started production of the AirPower. The source has added that he has heard the AirPower will be released soon.
Luxshare, which is a member of the Wireless Power Consortium behind the Qi standard and also assembles AirPods for Apple as well as the company’s Lightning to USB-C cables, according to ChargerLAB. Reports had suggested Luxshare would be a primary supplier of the AirPower since as early as February 2017.

There’s also a chance that Luxshare might not be the only supplier, as a recent rumor has stated that Pegatron might also be involved in the device’s production.
A few weeks ago, developer Steve Troughton-Smith said he’s heard Apple may have overcome technical challenges with the AirPower and could move forward with a release. Those technical challenges included overheating and interference issues, according to Sonny Dickson, an occasional source of Apple leaks.
This follows up on a research note obtained in October by Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who stated that Apple may launch the AirPower by early in the first quarter of 2019, suggesting that the accessory may be released soon.
The delayed release of the AirPower is likely why Apple has yet to release its optional wireless charging case for AirPods, which remains listed as “currently unavailable” on Apple’s website. Like the AirPower, Kuo said the wireless case may be released in early 2019 ahead of an entirely new pair in 2020.
The AirPower is an oval-shaped mat that could wirelessly charge multiple Apple devices simultaneously, such as the iPhone 8 and newer, Apple Watch Series 3 and newer, and AirPods when they are placed in the aforementioned wireless charging case that has been expected to launch alongside the mat.
Apple first previewed the AirPower at the Steve Jobs Theater in September 2017, shortly after the introduction of the iPhone X. Apple indicated that it would release the device in 2018 via a press release, but failed to deliver on that promise, and hasn’t commented on the AirPower for many months.
Following its September 2018 event, Apple removed all but a few mentions of the AirPower from its website. The mat was, however, still referenced in the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR user guides, in some recent Apple job listings, and in a few recent Apple patent applications.
In a follow-up tweet, ChargerLAB cites another source who claims a second Apple supplier Pegatron is set to begin mass production of the AirPower on January 21. The alleged Pegatron employee claims the AirPower has three layers of coils in an 8-7-7 configuration from bottom to top.
Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.
Via MacRumors and ChargerLAB