Photos Depict Alleged AirPods Pro 2 With Same Design, Case With 'Find My' Speaker Holes and Strap Attachment

Apple is developing second-generation AirPods Pro to follow the AirPods 3, with the new earbuds set to come out in 2022. We've heard little about the next-generation ‌AirPods Pro‌ so far, but a rumor from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has suggested they could be stemless.

airpods pro 2 2
MacRumors has now received alleged images of the second-generation ‌AirPods Pro‌ that contradict the stemless design rumors, but they're from a source ("Xerxes") without an established track record and we can't verify their accuracy. The person who provided the images to us said that they come from an "Apple internal source," and the person declined to provide additional information.

The ‌AirPods Pro‌ in the photos features the same design as the original ‌AirPods Pro‌, with the exception of a missing optical sensor toward the underside of each earbud. Apple has moved from optical sensors to a skin-detect sensor in the AirPods 3, so it's possible the ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2 will follow suit in that regard.

airpods pro 2 1
Beyond the earbuds themselves, there are more obvious differences in the case. There are speaker holes at the bottom, which is an unusual choice for an AirPods casing design. The source who provided the images says that these speaker holes are being introduced because in iOS 16, Apple will be adding a new feature where "Find My will be available for the case and buds separately." The speaker holes will let the case play a sound to allow it to be located.

The case also depicts a metal loop at the side, which is meant to be for attaching a strap, but Apple has not used this design for any of its other AirPod models and it is unclear why it would be added in this instance. That said, it does not seem out of the realm of possibility that Apple would add a strap.

airpods pro 2 3
On the topic of a stemless design, the source says that the rumors are incorrect, and that Apple will not be eliminating the stem from the next-generation ‌AirPods Pro‌.

MacRumors is a rumors site, as the name suggests, so we thought we'd share these images with our readers even though we cannot verify that these are an accurate representation of the ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2 at this point. Keep in mind that these features have not been confirmed by a source with a known track record for accuracy, and the information should be viewed with some skepticism at this point in time.

As mentioned above, Bloomberg's ‌Mark Gurman‌, who often provides an accurate assessment of Apple's plans, has said that Apple is aiming to make the ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2 more compact by eliminating the short stem that sticks out from the bottom. Apple has tested a more rounded shape, but getting the hardware of the ‌AirPods Pro‌ into a chassis that's reduced in size has proven difficult, so the plan could be scrapped.

We've heard no other rumors of new features or changes to the case design of the ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2 at this time. It is perhaps worth noting that the first refresh to the original AirPods, the AirPods 2, also did not feature a new design, instead focusing on a wireless charging addition for the case and other internal improvements. The ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2 are expected to launch at some point in 2022, but there's no word on when as of yet.

Related Roundup: AirPods Pro
Related Forum: AirPods

Popular Stories

maxresdefault

Five Features Coming to AirPods Pro 3

Friday June 27, 2025 10:52 am PDT by
Apple hasn't updated the AirPods Pro since 2022, and the earbuds are due for a refresh. We're counting on a new model this year, and we've seen several hints of new AirPods tucked away in Apple's code. Rumors suggest that Apple has some exciting new features planned that will make it worthwhile to upgrade to the latest model. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Heal...
iPhone Car Key WWDC 2025

Apple Announces 13 Automakers Planning to Offer iPhone Car Keys

Friday June 27, 2025 11:42 am PDT by
In 2020, Apple added a digital car key feature to its Wallet app, allowing users to lock, unlock, and start a compatible vehicle with an iPhone or Apple Watch. The feature is currently offered by select automakers, including Audi, BMW, Hyundai, Kia, Genesis, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, and a handful of others, and it is set to expand further. During its WWDC 2025 keynote, Apple said that 13...
anker power bank recall

PSA: Anker Recalls Multiple Power Banks Due to Fire Risk

Friday June 27, 2025 4:16 pm PDT by
Popular accessory maker Anker this month launched two separate recalls for its power banks, some of which may be a fire risk. The first recall affects Anker PowerCore 10000 Power Banks sold between June 1, 2016 and December 31, 2022 in the United States. Anker says that these power banks have a "potential issue" with the battery inside, which can lead to overheating, melting of plastic...
Chase Sapphire Reserve Apple Perk Feature

Chase Sapphire Reserve Card Introduces New Perk for Apple Customers

Wednesday June 25, 2025 2:08 pm PDT by
Chase this week announced a series of new perks for its premium Sapphire Reserve credit card, and one of them is for a pair of Apple services. Specifically, the credit card now offers complimentary annual subscriptions to Apple TV+ and Apple Music, a value of up to $250 per year. If you are already paying for Apple TV+ and/or Apple Music directly through Apple, those subscriptions will...
iPhone 17 Pro Blue Feature Tighter Crop

iPhone 17 Pro Launching in a Few Months With These 12 New Features

Thursday June 26, 2025 2:00 am PDT by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are around three months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Apple is expected to launch the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max in September this year. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models:Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an...
A18 Pro Chip

New MacBook With A18 Pro Chip Spotted in Apple Code

Monday June 30, 2025 8:05 am PDT by
Apple is developing a MacBook with the A18 Pro chip, according to findings in backend code uncovered by MacRumors. Earlier today, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported that Apple is planning to launch a low-cost MacBook powered by an iPhone chip. The machine is expected to feature a 13-inch display, the A18 Pro chip, and color options that include silver, blue, pink, and yellow. MacRumors...
macbook air spacegray purple

Apple Planning to Launch Low-Cost MacBook Powered By iPhone Chip

Monday June 30, 2025 3:20 am PDT by
Apple is planning to launch a low-cost MacBook powered by an iPhone chip, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. In an article published on X, Kuo explained that the device will feature a 13-inch display and the A18 Pro chip, making it the first Mac powered by an iPhone chip. The A18 Pro chip debuted in the iPhone 16 Pro last year. To date, all Apple silicon Macs have contained M-series...
CarPlay Ultra Climate Controls

Here's Which Vehicle Brands Will and Won't Offer Apple's CarPlay Ultra

Friday June 27, 2025 9:52 am PDT by
Apple last month announced the launch of CarPlay Ultra, the long-awaited next-generation version of its CarPlay software system for vehicles. There was news this week about which automakers will and won't offer CarPlay Ultra, and we have provided an updated list below. CarPlay Ultra is currently limited to newer Aston Martin vehicles in the U.S. and Canada. Fortunately, if you cannot...
apple watch ultra 2 new black

Apple Watch Ultra 3 Finally Coming After Two-Year Hiatus

Tuesday June 24, 2025 3:40 am PDT by
Apple will finally deliver the Apple Watch Ultra 3 sometime this year, according to analyst Jeff Pu of GF Securities Hong Kong (via @jukanlosreve). The analyst expects both the Apple Watch Series 11 and Apple Watch Ultra 3 to arrive this year (likely alongside the new iPhone 17 lineup, if previous launches are anything to go by), according to his latest product roadmap shared with...

Top Rated Comments

cameronp16 Avatar
48 months ago
The strap will be an additional $59 and we are going to love it!
Score: 37 Votes (Like | Disagree)
neuropsychguy Avatar
48 months ago

Or a U2 chip?

Oh, wait, I'll pass...
You get that U2 chip whether or not you want it.
Score: 27 Votes (Like | Disagree)
AngerDanger Avatar
48 months ago
It'd be hilarious if instead of the generic lanyard hole, they resurrected the loop from the 5th gen iPod touch.



Attachment Image
Score: 27 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jz0309 Avatar
48 months ago
2 speakers? "find me" in stereo? :p
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
CaptMarvel Avatar
48 months ago

2 speakers? "find me" in stereo? :p
Spatial audio bro!
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
UltimateSyn Avatar
48 months ago

2 speakers? "find me" in stereo? :p
80% more bass ?
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)