Xiaomi copies Apple one of its flagship products launched four years ago: the wonderful AirPower that works so well for iOS users and that… No. The AirPower was an Apple multi-charging dock project that had to be launched in sometime since 2017 and it was eventually canceled. Since then there have been numerous criticisms of Apple, more or less successful imitations of the accessory and especially jokes and memes. Now Xiaomi has ventured to present a product that, unlike the apple, will be launched on the market.
Reminder of the (fateful) history of the AirPower
In September 2017, Apple presented its first iPhone compatible with wireless charging: iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X. In view of this event, the company also announced a charging base called AirPower that could charge three devices like those iPhone at the same time. , an Apple Watch and even some AirPods that at that time did not have this function (it arrived with the second generation a year and a half later).
No price or launch date was specified for this revolutionary charging base, although it could be seen on Apple’s website that it would be launched later that year. Apple never mentioned that charging base again, but on the web the availability poster was changing to 2018, later to 2019. Even with the launch of the AirPods 2, references to this charging base appeared in its instructions, but … Never arrive.
Exactly two years ago, on March 29, 2019, it was confirmed by a spokesperson that the project had been canceled due to the impossibility of offering a quality product. Apparently it had not passed the tests carried out and the operation of the internal coils became very complex, making it impossible to regulate the temperature of the AirPower so that it would not damage the devices that were put to charge. Months later it was said that one of the company’s most recent processors could be used to make it functional, but nothing else was known and today it is still a ghost product and is officially canceled.
Will Xiaomi face the same problems?
It would be absurd to deny the evidence that Xiaomi bases much of the design of its products on Apple, like some other brands. However on this occasion we could not speak of a “plagiarism”, but rather of inspiration if we take into account the non-existence of the AirPower in the market. When Apple announced that product, a multitude of copies emerged from not very well-known brands and also others with some recognition. However, Xiaomi’s is the closest we can see at this time.
It is true that Xiaomi’s AirPower cannot charge the Apple Watch as if Apple’s had, but for other purposes it is just as practical to charge smartphones compatible with wireless charging and even headphones such as AirPods that have this charging capacity. We could be, as we said in the headline, before a goal by the Chinese company squad. However, it is yet to be seen with the passage of time if they have managed to solve the problems that this accessory gave to Californians, in which case we would be facing a useless show of power (not to say something else rude).