Tesla is offering its own $300 version of the canceled Apple AirPower charger

Late last month, Elon Musk decided start runner with Apple. A million years later, Tesla introduced a $300 wireless charging mat that promises some features that were supposed to be included in Apple’s AirPower.

The concept for AirPower was simple: a mat that can wirelessly charge up to three devices without fiddling to find the exact position of the charging coils. The device was expected from Apple in 2017 and left fans confused by its absence until the company officially canceled in 2019. “After much effort, we concluded that AirPower would not meet our high standards and canceled the project,” Apple said in a statement at the time.

It was a bit baffling that a company with the resources and talent of Apple couldn’t figure out how to do what seemed like a relatively simple task. So it’s reasonable to assume that Elon is cheating the Cupertino giant a bit with Thursday’s announcement of Tesla wireless charging pad.

Unfortunately, this is just a very expensive repackaging of a charging system that’s been around for a few years. Tesla used FreePower technology And give it a little beauty in Cybertruck. FreePower licenses its placement-free wireless charging design to other companies and it is featured in well-reviewed devices such as Nomad Base Station Pro. By most accounts, it works as advertised. You can just drop the device anywhere on the mat and get it 15 watts of fast charging. You can even move the device without interrupting the connection.

In its 2020 review of Nomad Base Station, The Verge said it “It may someday be the future of wireless charging technology, for now the current version is very expensive and limited. The price of this device was $229 at the time. Nomad does not produce this model anymore but still offers refurbished versions of it Her website for $120.

While FreePower seems to have solved the positioning issue on a wireless charger, you still can’t put your Apple Watch on the mat. These chargers only work with Qi-compatible devices and the Apple Watch require whether embedded magnetic disc or a MagSafe charger.

Therefore, Tesla did not meet the standard that Apple originally set to achieve (at one time Charge your iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods), they haven’t really advanced the technology, and they charge a very high price for their mat.

I can’t say for sure that this launch was designed entirely to annoy Tim Cook. It’s entirely possible that Musk just wanted some kind of positive news about Tesla’s trading. The electric vehicle manufacturer’s share price has reached a new high lowest level in two years On Friday as investors Concerns about Musk’s unique interest on Twitter have reached a boiling point.

There are two types of specialization Problems at Tesla: Elon He continues to sell Its value is estimated at billions of dollars Arrows and his right wing Policy We are turning off People who are most likely to buy an electric car (liberals and people who believe in climate change). The fact that Tesla started progress a $7,500 A discount on two of its models this week has exacerbated the problem investors interests.

An expensive charging mat won’t reverse Tesla’s fortunes, but if you really want one, you can pre-order it. here They will allegedly start shipping in February. Just keep in mind that it’s the shipping equivalent of slapping on a fresh coat of paint a roofing torch and called a flamethrower.