Kuo: AirPods Pro With USB-C Charging Case to Launch Later This Year

Apple plans to release second-generation AirPods Pro with a USB-C charging case later this year, with mass shipments expected to begin in the second to third quarter, according to information shared today by Apple industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.


The second-generation AirPods Pro launched in September 2022 with a Lightning charging case. The updated version of the second-generation AirPods Pro would have a USB-C charging case instead, but it's unclear if any other hardware changes are planned. Kuo believes references to new AirPods discovered in the iOS 16.4 Release Candidate earlier this week are related to the AirPods Pro with a USB-C charging case.

All four iPhone 15 models coming later this year are expected to be equipped with a USB-C port, so it makes sense for the AirPods Pro charging case to switch to USB-C as well. Apple already switched the Apple TV's Siri Remote from Lightning to USB-C last year and other accessories like the MagSafe Battery Pack are rumored to follow eventually.

Kuo added that Apple currently has no plans to release USB-C charging cases for the second-generation or third-generation AirPods. This suggests the standard AirPods may not have a USB-C charging case until a fourth-generation pair are released. Apple released the third-generation AirPods in October 2021.

Related Roundup: AirPods Pro

Tag: Ming-Chi Kuo

Buyer's Guide: AirPods Pro (Buy Now)

Related Forum: AirPods

This article, "Kuo: AirPods Pro With USB-C Charging Case to Launch Later This Year" first appeared on MacRumors.com

Discuss this article in our forums



via MacRumors: Mac News and Rumors - All Stories https://ift.tt/Z2n39xr