Скачать или смотреть Apple’s cancelled AirPower inspires this wireless charging desk invented by Chinese influencer

A young Chinese tech vlogger, famed for his one-to-one dialogue with Apple CEO Tim Cook earlier this year, said he has created a multi-device wireless charger inspired by the US company’s abandoned AirPower project, sending the shares of a Shenzhen-listed furniture manufacturer that sponsored the video soaring.In a 7-minute video titled “I made a product that Apple gave up on”, He Shijie, a 22-year-old influencer who has more than 8 million followers on Chinese video platform Bilibili, showed off a desk designed to wirelessly charge up to three devices at once.\nUsers can charge a device, such as a smartphone, by placing it anywhere on the desk, He said, thanks to a charging coil that automatically moves to the device’s location based on data supplied by a camera mounted on the ceiling. Two other devices can be charged at the same time using stationary coils installed at the desk corners. He named his creation the AirDesk.The video, released on Sunday, had been viewed more than 8 million times by Wednesday afternoon. It has also been trending as a hot topic on Chinese social media platforms including the microblogging site Weibo.Apple first announced in 2017 that it was working on a charging mat, called AirPower, that can simultaneously charge three devices – the iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods – wherever they are placed on the mat. The idea never materialised into an actual product, with insiders citing technical difficulties associated with overheating and complex circuitry. The Californian giant said in 2019 that it had cancelled the project because it could not achieve the company’s “high standards”.Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the AirDesk.The popularity of He’s video has put the spotlight on its sponsor, Loctek Ergonomic Technology. The ergonomics product manufacturer, which produced the standing desk that He refitted into the AirDesk, saw its stock price in Shenzhen rise nearly 14 per cent to 25.2 yuan (US$3.94) before falling back to 23.93 yuan at close of market on Wednesday.The AirDesk has also drawn the attention of an executive at Chinese gadget company Xiaomi.“He’s crafting ability is very strong. The white smart tracking wireless charging pad in the video appears to be a product we made two years ago. I am honoured to be of help,” Wang Teng, product director of Xiaomi sub-brand Redmi, wrote on Weibo. Wang also posted a screenshot of the charging pad’s product page, saying that it is still available for purchase.\n