Michael Crider
Apple’s whole deal is going all-in on the platform: get the computer, the phone, the tablet, the watch, and the headphones, and your (digital) life will be complete. Satechi, a popular choice for accessories that complement Apple’s aesthetics, is taking a similar approach. Its latest charger can flip around on a USB-C port to charge an Apple Watch or AirPods.
The “USB-C Watch AirPods Charger” takes advantage of the ambidextrous, ovular USB-C port to present a different charging surface on either side. On top is the circular, mildly magnetic pad for the Apple Watch, underneath (or vice versa) is the shallow dish for recharging AirPods wirelessly. The charger is designed to be used with a MacBook or an iPad Pro (or the latest generation of the iPad Air, packing a USB-C port), but it should work with pretty much anything that has at least five volts of electrical output.
The charger will presumably only work on on side at once—there isn’t space to cram either the Apple Watch or AirPods on the underside when it’s plugged into a laptop. It’s tiny and travel friendly, but you’ll pay for the convenience: Satechi wants $50 for the two-in-one charger. That’s a premium over wireless charging stations from budget brands on Amazon, which can charge up an iPhone, AirPods, and Apple Watch all at once for about half that.
The USB-C Watch AirPods Charger is on sale now at the Apple Store, shipping immediately. It should roll out to the usual retail suspects soon.
Satechi USB-C Watch AirPods Charger
This double-sided USB-C charger can charge and Apple Watch, or flip around to charge AirPods
