Officially, AirPower first and last appeared in September 2017. Already a "sneak peak" at the end of the event where the iPhone 8 and iPhone X were unveiled, AirPower missed the 2018 release window and was not even mentioned at the iPhone Xs launch before it was officially declared dead in March 2019.

"After much effort, we concluded that AirPower could not meet our high standards and discontinued the project," Apple said at the time.

Rumors persisted that the manufacturing costs were prohibitively high and that it was prone to overheating. Now, a disassembly of what is believed to be a prototype AirPower charging pad makes that explanation sound very plausible indeed.

Originally posted on the Chinese website Bilibili, the video shows 14 wireless charging coils crammed into a design compact enough to carry around. While this may sound like overkill, AirPower allows users to place up to three devices anywhere on its surface and have them begin charging immediately. To achieve such flexibility, a large number of coils must be crammed into a small space.

The whole thing is surprisingly complex, with a keyboard-style metal frame neatly separating the various electronic components. It's clear that Apple put a lot of R&D money into this before pulling the plug.

Of course, it is possible that AirPower is not completely dead and is simply sleeping; Jon Prosser of Front Page Tech thinks a simplified version will appear later this year or in early 2021.

Called "C68" internally, the project has fewer coils and less overlap, incorporates the Apple A11 chip, and appears to address heat issues by turning the coils on and off as needed.

Even with fewer coils, this is not a cheap product and is rumored to cost $250. The best wireless chargers are much cheaper than that. For example, Logitech's Powered 3-in-1 dock can power three devices at once and costs $129. Apple's new AirPower would have to be really special to demand such a premium.