Aira Aiming to Bring Full-Surface AirPower-Like Wireless Charging to Vehicles
Aira this week announced that it has received a strategic investment from automotive supplier Motherson to help bring its FreePower wireless charging technology to automakers. The companies aim to jointly develop, manufacture, and supply automotive-grade FreePower wireless charging modules for seamless integration into vehicle interiors.

Unlike traditional wireless charging mats, which require devices to be precisely aligned in order to charge, FreePower allows for full surface charging from corner to corner. The proprietary technology can accommodate different surface sizes and any number of Qi-enabled devices, including the latest iPhones and AirPods with a wireless charging case. One exception is the Apple Watch, which does not work with standard Qi chargers.
Aira envisions a vehicle with a large wireless charging surface spanning the center console, on which Qi-enabled devices could be placed to charge, with total freedom of movement. The exact implementation would likely be up to automakers, as some might want to incorporate cupholders and other features alongside the charging surface.
In September, accessory maker Nomad released the Base Station Pro wireless charging mat as the first product with FreePower integration. Priced at $199.95, the Base Station Pro has 18 charging coils that allow for three Qi-enabled devices to be charged at once, regardless of their position on the mat. This solution is similar to what Apple aimed to achieve with its canceled AirPower mat, although it lacks support for the Apple Watch.
No timeframe was offered for when we might see the first vehicles with support for FreePower. Aira also wants to expand the technology to furniture like desks and nightstands, as well as restaurants, airports, hotels, and more.
Popular Stories
Apple today released iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4, the fourth major updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 operating system updates that came out last year. iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 come two months after Apple released iOS 18.3 and iPadOS 18.3.
Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.
The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to...
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices.
Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of March 2025:
Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone ...
iOS 19 will not be available on the iPhone XR, iPhone XS, or the iPhone XS Max, according a private account on social media site X that has accurately provided information on device compatibility in the past.
The iPhone XR, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max all have an A12 Bionic chip, so it looks like iOS 19 will discontinue support for that chip. All other iPhones that run iOS 18 are expected...
Apple's big developer event is a little over two months away, and rumors about what we can expect to see in Apple's next major operating system updates are becoming increasingly frequent.
A public release of iOS 18.4 is also imminent with a number of updates and improvements, although we won't be getting the major Apple Intelligence Siri upgrades that had reportedly been planned for this...
Apple is reportedly working on a new Magic Mouse. Below, we recap what to expect.
The two key rumors for the Magic Mouse 3 so far include a relocated charging port, along with a more ergonomic design.
It was briefly rumored that the Magic Mouse 3 would also feature voice control, but that was misinterpreted information.
Relocated Charging Port
While the Magic Mouse switched from...
With the second release candidate of iOS 18.4 that Apple seeded out today, the company finally provided us with release notes that give a full rundown on what to expect.
There's an Apple Vision Pro app, new Apple Intelligence features for notifications and additional language support, plus an Apple News Food feature for Apple News+ subscribers, and several updates that should improve the...
We've been hearing rumors about a foldable iPhone for almost a decade now, but it looks like we might finally see the device come to fruition in 2026. We're going to be waiting many more months for the foldable iPhone, but so far we're hearing good things.
Apple wants to make it creaseless. It's taken Apple multiple years to design a foldable iPhone that it's satisfied with because Apple ...
Apple today released new firmware updates for all AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro 2 models. The new firmware is version 7E93, up from the 7B21 firmware that was installed on the AirPods Pro 2 and the 7B20 firmware available on the AirPods 4 and AirPods 4 with ANC.
It is not immediately clear what new features or changes are included in the new firmware, but we'll update this article should we find ...