During its iPhone event last September, Apple announced a new wireless charging case for the AirPods that would function just like the wireless charging feature on the new iPhones. Nearly a year later, we still haven’t seen this new wireless charging case, though new details about it that have us really excited.
According to a new report from Chongdiantou, sources within Apple’s supply chain reveal the new wireless charging AirPods case will be able to charge using any Qi wireless charger. When Apple adopted the wireless charging feature, it decided to use the Wireless Power Consortium’s universal Qi standard. That means that any Qi charger can charge an iPhone, and whenever it is released, the new AirPods case as well.
This is big news on Apple’s part because it hasn’t shown an openness regarding wireless charging. Yes, it did adopt a universal standard, but on the other side of the coin, the Apple Watch can’t be charged unless it’s using Apple’s own proprietary charger with a magnet latch.
There was a fear Apple would implement a similar mundane restriction on the AirPods wireless charging case, making its upcoming AirPower wireless charger the only way to charge it but that doesn’t appear to be the case.
The new AirPods case will have a built-in induction coil making it possible to charge without needing to plug in a Lighting cable. Apple still hasn’t revealed how much the case will cost by itself or if it’ll raise the price of the AirPods when the case is introduced.
We’re expecting to learn more about the new AirPods case during Apple’s iPhone event in September.
