Apple's AirPower wireless charging pad might not arrive until September

Where the heck is Apple's 3-in-1 AirPower wireless charging pad? It's probably not coming for at least another few months.

AirPower has been a complete no-show since it was announced alongside the iPhone 8, 8 Plus, and X last September, and now we might know what's holding up its release.

If you've been patiently waiting for AirPower, you've probably made a good guess as to why AirPower hasn't launched yet.

Surprise, surprise: It's production problems! According to Bloomberg, "technical hurdles" have caused AirPower to be delayed. They're now expected to launch either before or in September (maybe a re-introduction with this year's new iPhones?).

Apple engineers are reportedly busting their butts to make sure AirPower doesn't overheat. Safety is very important and the last thing Apple wants is an explosive disaster like Samsung's infamous Galaxy Note 7). Firmware-related bugs also need to be squashed.

Another reason for AirPower's absence since its announcement is that Apple wants to enable wireless charging no matter where you place your iPhone, Apple Watch, or AirPods on AirPower's surface. To achieve this kind of wireless charging surface area, Apple reportedly needs to use multiple custom-shaped charging pads that overlap underneath the pad.

Currently, most wireless chargers are quite sensitive. For example, with a Mophie or Belkin wireless charging pad, you need to place an iPhone on a very specific area (usually around the center) to charge it up wirelessly. Place it even slightly off this "sweet spot" and the device won't pick up any power.

AirPower sounds much more ambitious and could mean less or no fiddling to find the "sweet spot" whenever you place your devices down on it to charge up.

Launching AirPower in September would mark a year since it was announced. We still have no idea how much it'll cost, but it likely won't be cheap. Not to mention, to get the full experience you'll need to buy a separate wireless charging-enabled case for AirPods.

Will AirPower be worth the long wait? Hard to say until we know how much it costs. But if Apple's really able to make a wireless charging pad that's more reliable than existing ones, it just might be worth it. Good things come to those who wait, right?