Wireless AirPods Charging Case Expected Soon, but AirPods 2 May Not Launch Until Fall

OnLeaks' Steve Hemmerstoffer today tweeted that the AirPods wireless charging case will be ready to launch sometime soon, but the actual AirPods 2 with "Hey, Siri" funtionality may be delayed to the fall.

AirPods 2 OnLeaks itself casts some doubt on this rumor, by stating up front that the news was gained from a "new and yet unconfirmed," but seemingly reliable source. Hemmerstoffer appears to be most certain about the wireless charging case launching soon and being shipped with the first-generation AirPods.

Most rumors about AirPods 2 have pointed toward an early 2019 launch for the new wireless earphones, so definitely take this new report with a grain of salt. Just this morning, a sketchy report from Greek tech news site iphonehellas.gr claimed the new iPads, AirPods 2, and AirPower are all set to launch on March 29. Yesterday, DigiTimes reiterated previous rumors that stated Apple will release AirPods 2 in the first half of the year.

When they do launch, OnLeaks says the AirPods 2 will come in new colors, and yesterday rumor site MySmartPrice claimed that the new headphones will come in black and white. Beyond AirPods 2 and their new "Hey, ‌Siri‌" functionality, Apple is believed to already be working on the third-generation AirPods, which are rumored to have some form of water resistance.

Hemmerstoffer and OnLeaks have a previous track record of sourcing information from Apple's supply chain, as well as the supply chains of other smartphone manufacturers. For example, Hemmerstoffer shared renders of the 2018 iPad Pro with accurate depictions of the tablet's redesign one month before the device was revealed by Apple.

Related Roundup: AirPods 4
Tag: OnLeaks
Buyer's Guide: AirPods (Buy Now)
Related Forum: AirPods

Popular Stories

iCloud General Feature Redux

iPhone Users Who Pay for iCloud Storage Receive a New Perk

Thursday March 20, 2025 12:01 am PDT by
If you pay for iCloud storage on your iPhone, Apple has a new perk for you, at no additional cost. The new perk is the ability to create invitations in the Apple Invites app for the iPhone, which launched in the App Store last month. In the Apple Invites app, iCloud+ subscribers can create invitations for any occasion, such as birthday parties, graduations, baby showers, and more. Anyone ...
apple wallet drivers license feature iPhone 15 pro teal 1

Apple Says iPhone Driver's Licenses Coming to These 8 U.S. States, But Rollout Remains Slow

Wednesday March 19, 2025 6:55 am PDT by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, providing a convenient and contactless way to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. Unfortunately, this feature continues to roll out very slowly. It has been three and a half years since Apple first announced the...
Generic iOS 19 Feature Mock

iOS 19 Coming in June With These New Features

Thursday March 20, 2025 2:04 pm PDT by
While the first iOS 19 beta is still more than two months away, there are already plenty of rumors about the upcoming software update. Below, we recap the key iOS 19 rumors so far. visionOS-Like Design In January, the YouTube channel Front Page Tech revealed a redesigned Camera app that is allegedly planned for iOS 19. According to Front Page Tech host Jon Prosser, the Camera app...
Windows Vista

Apple Might Be Having Its Windows Vista Moment, Says Analyst

Thursday March 20, 2025 6:52 am PDT by
Is Apple experiencing a "Vista-like drift into systemically poor execution?" That was a question posed by well-known technology analyst Benedict Evans, in a recent blog post covering Apple's innovation and execution, or seemingly lack thereof as of late. He is referring to Microsoft's Windows Vista operating system, which was widely criticized when it launched in 2007 due to software bugs,...
iPhone 17 Air Fanned Feature

First iPhone 17 Air Case Has Camera Bar, Camera Control Button Cutouts

Wednesday March 19, 2025 5:29 am PDT by
Serial leaker Sonny Dickson today shared an image of what he claims is a first look at a third-party case for Apple's iPhone 17 Air. "If you didn’t know an Air was coming, you'd swear it was a Google Pixel case," he said. Case manufacturers often obtain design specifications of upcoming iPhone models before their release by collaborating with Apple through official partnerships or...
iPhone 17 Pro Render Front Page Tech

Latest iPhone 17 Pro Dummies Highlight Apple's New Part-Glass Design

Thursday March 20, 2025 5:27 am PDT by
Seasoned leaker Sonny Dickson has shared more dummy models of Apple's upcoming iPhone 17 series, with the latest lot revealing a noticeable shift in Apple's iPhone Pro model design that goes beyond the much-talked-about new rear camera bar. Dickson points out that the iPhone 17 Pro dummy models feature an outlined area on the back, beginning just below the camera module and extending to the...
iphone 16 pro ghost hand

Next Year's iPhone 18 Pro Already Rumored to Have Five New Features

Tuesday March 18, 2025 1:00 pm PDT by
While the iPhone 18 Pro models are still around a year and a half away from launching, there are already some early rumors about the devices. Below, we recap some key iPhone 18 Pro rumors so far. Under-Screen Face ID In April 2023, display industry analyst Ross Young shared a roadmap showing that iPhone 17 Pro models would feature under-display Face ID. In May 2024, however, Young said ...
Generic iOS 19 Feature Mock

iOS 19 and iOS 20 Must Include a Long List of Major Changes, EU Says

Wednesday March 19, 2025 10:26 am PDT by
The European Commission today announced a long list of changes that Apple is legally required to implement in future iOS 19 and iOS 20 updates. The announcement clarifies interoperability requirements that Apple is required to adhere to in the EU, under the Digital Markets Act, which has been fully enforced since March 2024. The changes will further open up the iPhone and its technologies to ...
airpods pro 2 gradient

AirPods Pro 3 Launch Now Just Months Away: Here's What We Know

Tuesday March 18, 2025 9:13 am PDT by
Despite being released over two years ago, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 continue to dominate the wireless earbud market. However, with the AirPods Pro 3 expected to launch in 2025, anyone thinking of buying Apple's premium earbuds may be wondering if the next generation is worth holding out for. Apart from their audio and noise-canceling performance, which are generally regarded as excellent for...

Top Rated Comments

AngerDanger Avatar
80 months ago
Thus, I can't vouch these at 100%...- New wireless charging #AirPods ('https://twitter.com/hashtag/AirPods?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw') Case to be launched soon BUT shipped with current AirPods- Brand new AirPods + new color(s) likely unveiled this fall pic.twitter.com/eNYom3Xys6 ('https://t.co/eNYom3Xys6')
Man, I can already imagine the wide array of color option Apple provides us with! :)



Attachment Image
Score: 23 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ubestbsteppin Avatar
80 months ago
This rumor certainly sounds more Apple-like. Release the charging case now so current Airpod owners buy it up and hold the Airpods 2 for a few months to not cannibalize charging case sales.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Bdub12 Avatar
80 months ago
And I get to wait another 6 months to buy AirPods. Sigh.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
newyorksole Avatar
80 months ago
Wait wait wait I just literally read an article on here that said “AirPods 2 March 29th?”

And now a new article saying “Fall”.

Lmaooo damn... What is it?!
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
I7guy Avatar
80 months ago
This is what happens when rumors collide.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
peterh988 Avatar
80 months ago
Just give me some news about an iMac, dammit! :)
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)