AirPods Pro 2 to Launch Later This Year as Suppliers Reportedly Prepare Shipments

The second-generation AirPods Pro are widely expected to launch in the second half of this year. In preparation for the launch, Apple's suppliers are getting ready for shipments of the new high-end AirPods, according to a new report from DigiTimes.

AirPods Pro Gen 2 Feature
The new second-generation AirPods Pro are widely expected to feature a new design, improved audio, the ability to play back Apple Music lossless audio, and more. The new AirPods Pro are scheduled to launch this year — specifically in the second half of 2022. Ahead of the release, today's report said that suppliers are beginning to prepare for shipments of the new wireless earphones.

The latest information about the new AirPods Pro comes from Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who recently reported they would feature a redesigned charging case that can emit an audible noise for use with Find My. With ‌Find My‌ integration, only AirPods themselves emit a sound when pinged by a user. With the new AirPods Pro, the case will have a speaker, allowing for a louder noise, making it easier to find.

airpods pro 2 2
MacRumors had previously received pictures depicting what a tipster claimed to be the case for the upcoming AirPods Pro. Those pictures show speaker holes and possible accessory attachments in the case itself. MacRumors cannot verify the accuracy of the images, but they do fall in line with new information shared by credible analyst ‌Ming-Chi Kuo‌.

Alongside a new case, the new AirPods Pro will also support playback of lossless ‌Apple Music‌ audio. Due to limitations in Bluetooth bandwidth, none of Apple's existing AirPods models can playback lossless audio from ‌Apple Music‌. In a recent interview, an executive for the company admitted that the limitations of Bluetooth are hindering the potential of the AirPods experience and said the team wants "more bandwidth" than what Bluetooth alone can provide.

To catch up on everything we expect from the second-generation AirPods Pro, be sure to check out our comprehensive guide.

Related Roundup: AirPods Pro 3
Buyer's Guide: AirPods Pro (Buy Now)
Related Forum: AirPods

Popular Stories

Apple Shopping Event 2025

Apple Announces 2025 Black Friday Event, Here's What You Can Get

Thursday November 20, 2025 6:28 am PST by
Apple's annual four-day Black Friday through Cyber Monday shopping event is returning on Friday, November 28 through Monday, December 1 in many countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, Belgium, the Netherlands, Sweden, Thailand, and others. During the shopping event, customers can get an Apple gift card with...
iOS 26

iOS 26.2 Adds These New Features to Your iPhone

Thursday November 20, 2025 10:50 am PST by
iOS 26.2 is currently in beta testing. The upcoming update includes a handful of new features and changes on the iPhone, including a new Liquid Glass slider for the Lock Screen's clock, offline lyrics for Apple Music, and more. In a recent press release, Apple confirmed that iOS 26.2 will be released to all users in December, but it did not provide a specific release date. Keep reading...
hikawa phone grip stand apple%402x

Apple Launches Second Limited-Edition iPhone Accessory in a Month

Friday November 21, 2025 3:53 am PST by
Apple has begun selling the Hikawa Phone Grip and Stand, a new limited-edition iPhone accessory designed with accessibility in mind. Designed by LA-based Bailey Hikawa to celebrate the 40th anniversary of accessibility at Apple, the grip uses magnets to securely snap onto any iPhone with MagSafe. Apple says it can be removed with ease, and doubles as a stand with two different viewing...
iPhone 17 Pro Cosmic Orange

10 Reasons to Wait for Next Year's iPhone 18 Pro

Wednesday November 19, 2025 4:00 am PST by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models at the same time, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 18 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. One thing worth...
ipad black friday 2025

The Best Early Black Friday iPad Deals

Thursday November 20, 2025 10:20 am PST by
Black Friday is just over a week away, and iPad deals have finally started to flood in at retailers like Amazon and Best Buy. Below we're tracking discounts on every current generation iPad, including lowest-ever prices on M3 iPad Air and M5 iPad Pro, plus steep markdowns on iPad and iPad mini. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a ...
ipad mini 7 feature red and blue

iPad Mini 8: Four Major New Features to Expect

Wednesday November 19, 2025 7:50 am PST by
Apple's eighth-generation iPad mini is highly likely to arrive next year, offering a significant refresh of the device with at least four major new features. OLED Display The next-generation version of the iPad mini could feature an OLED display, as part of Apple's plan to expand the display technology across many more of its devices. Apple's first OLED device was the Apple Watch in 2015, ...
watchos 26 workout app

Apple Watch Users Claim Workout App Is Now Worse in Every Way

Thursday November 20, 2025 7:01 am PST by
Apple Watch owners have been voicing their frustration online over changes to the Workout app that Apple introduced in watchOS 26, with many finding the redesigned interface makes starting exercises difficult and exasperating. When Apple launched watchOS 26 in September, the Workout app went from large, easily tapped workout tiles to a scrolling, corner-button interface. Instead of tapping a ...
apple wallet drivers license feature iPhone 15 pro

Two More U.S. States Commit to Offering iPhone Driver's Licenses in Apple Wallet App

Thursday November 20, 2025 8:21 am PST by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Apple Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, and then use it to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. Earlier this week, Illinois became the 13th state in the U.S. to offer the feature. Subsequently, we shared a list of additional states that are committed...
android iphone airdrop quickshare

iPhone Users Can Now AirDrop Files to Android Devices

Thursday November 20, 2025 9:47 am PST by
Google today announced a new cross-platform feature that allows for file sharing between iPhone and Android users. With AirDrop on the iPhone and QuickShare on Pixel 10 devices, there is a new file transfer function available. The file sharing option works on Apple devices that include iPhone, iPad, and Mac, along with the Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, Pixel 10 Pro XL, and Pixel 10 Fold....

Top Rated Comments

TheYayAreaLiving ?️ Avatar
51 months ago
Wonderful - I hope Apple will be introducing newer colors this year. Jet Black or Matte black would be awesome.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Bandaman Avatar
51 months ago
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Nimrad Avatar
51 months ago
I don't need the speaker if it doesn't include proper AirTag functionality. The Find My functionality for AirPods are useless IMHO.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
System603 Avatar
51 months ago
Dear (Tim) Apple, learn from your own Beats brand. This time with a USB-C, please.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Bandaman Avatar
51 months ago

Wonderful - I hope Apple will be introducing newer colors. Jet Black or Matte black would be awesome.
Black would be lovely. If they don't release black this year, I might get a custom pair from ColorWare. I don't mind the white ones, but I've always preferred black headphones. I guess I'll wait until I see the redesign. Might look nice the way it is.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
lazyrighteye Avatar
51 months ago

Wonderful - I hope Apple will be introducing newer colors this year. Jet Black or Matte black would be awesome.
Matte please. Thanks.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)