Second-Generation AirPods Pro Charging Case Expected to Stick With Lightning Port

As Apple reportedly plans to switch the iPhone 15 and a number of its accessories to USB-C in the coming years, the upcoming second-generation AirPods Pro charging case will continue to feature a Lightning port, reliable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said today.

airpods pro in case
In a series of tweets, Kuo reiterated his past remarks that the second-generation AirPods Pro will launch in the second half of this year. In the last few weeks, information has emerged that Apple is testing USB-C for the iPhone 15 and its accessories, including AirPods, the MagSafe Battery Pack, and Mac keyboards/trackpads, which still feature the Lightning connector.

The upcoming ‌AirPods Pro‌ will not, however, mark the start of the transition towards USB-C for the AirPods line. "I predict the charging case of ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2 will still support Lightning, not USB-C," Kuo said in a tweet. All of Apple's AirPods, including the high-end $550 AirPods Max, feature a Lightning connector for charging.

The second-generation ‌AirPods Pro‌ will be the first update to the ‌AirPods Pro‌ since their launch in 2019. The new models are expected to feature a new design that gets rid of the stem for an all-ear design, similar to the Beats Fit Pro. Health tracking capabilities, as well as an improved charging case and audio quality, are also expected. For everything we know about the upcoming ‌AirPods Pro‌, see our guide.

Related Roundup: AirPods Pro
Related Forum: AirPods

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro 3 4ths Perspective Aluminum Camera Module 1

New iPhone 17 Pro Details: Brighter Display, Best Battery Life, and More

Wednesday September 3, 2025 5:33 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max models will feature a number of significant display, thermal, and battery improvements, according to new late-stage rumors. According to the Weibo leaker known as "Instant Digital," the iPhone 17 Pro models will feature displays with higher brightness, making it more suitable for use in direct sunlight for prolonged periods. The iPhone 16 Pro and...
iPhone 17 Pro Dark Blue and Orange

iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro: Release Date and Pre-Orders

Friday September 5, 2025 10:52 am PDT by
Apple will be holding its annual iPhone event on Tuesday, September 9, to unveil the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max. Assuming that Apple sticks to its familiar pattern, the iPhone 17 series should be available to pre-order starting Friday, September 12 at 5 a.m. Pacific Time / 8 a.m. Eastern Time. The release date for the devices should be one week later, on Fr...
Apple Watch Ultra 2 Complications

Apple Watch Ultra 3 Coming Next Week: Eight Reasons to Upgrade

Thursday September 4, 2025 7:38 am PDT by
We're only days away from Apple's "Awe dropping" fall event scheduled to take place on Tuesday, September 9 – and along with the new iPhone 17 series, we're going to get a new version of the Apple Watch Ultra for the first time since 2023. By the time the Ultra 3 is unveiled, it will have been two years since the previous model arrived. The intervening period has left plenty of room for...
iPhone 16 Battery Life Feature

iOS 26's New Battery Life Mode is Limited to These iPhone Models

Wednesday September 3, 2025 1:19 pm PDT by
iOS 26 introduces an Adaptive Power Mode on the iPhone, alongside the existing Low Power Mode. Apple says Adaptive Power Mode can make "performance adjustments" when necessary to extend an iPhone's battery life, including slightly lowering the display brightness, allowing some activities to "take longer," and automatically turning on Low Power Mode when the iPhone's remaining battery life...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro's Biggest Design Mystery is Finally Solved

Friday September 5, 2025 9:33 am PDT by
Apple is set to unveil the iPhone 17 series in just four days from now, and the biggest design mystery surrounding the Pro models has finally been solved. In a report outlining his expectations for Apple's event next week, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said the iPhone 17 Pro models will have "a new cutout area on the bottom two-thirds of the phone that doubles as the wireless charging area."...
iPhone 17 AIR Loud Feature

iPhone 17 Air Could Start at $1,099 With 256GB Storage, 1TB for $1,499

Thursday September 4, 2025 2:54 am PDT by
Apple's upcoming iPhone 17 Air will have a $1,099 starting price providing 256GB of base storage and will max out at $1,499 with a 1TB option, according to the latest TrendForce report. Apple will offer three price/storage tiers for the all-new ultra-thin iPhone 17 model, which replaces last year's iPhone 16 Plus in the lineup. Here's how TrendForce sees them breaking down: 256GB — $1099...
iPhone 17 Pro Iridescent Feature 2

iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro Prices Estimated Ahead of Apple Event Next Week

Tuesday September 2, 2025 1:50 pm PDT by
Just one week before Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 17 series, an analyst has shared new price estimates for the devices. Here are J.P. Morgan analyst Samik Chatterjee's price estimates for the iPhone 17 series in the United States, according to 9to5Mac: Model Starting Price Model Starting Price Change iPhone 16 $799 iPhone 17 ...

Top Rated Comments

Nimrad Avatar
43 months ago

except for the fact that there’s surely going to be another Lightning to USB-C cable in the box that next to nobody needs.
But this is the whole point. I think we can all agree Lightning is a dying port. Apple even pioneered USB-C on laptops back in 2015. Sticking with Lightning for no reason is just frustrating. And in my experience wireless charging is painfully slow on the AirPods Pro.
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
NightFox Avatar
43 months ago
As soon as Apple adopted USB-C for the iPad, I expected everything else to go that way with its next iteration. Having finally made that first step, I really don't understand why Apple are still clinging on to Lightning.
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Maetzle Avatar
43 months ago
Oh Apple. Please don't release those with Lighting, switch to USB-C next year for iPhones and other products and then sell us a separate USB-C case for $100 down the line.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ApplesAreSweet&Sour Avatar
43 months ago

They adopted it on the iPad solely to make the device more competitive / usable against PCs.

USB-C is a total ****-show when it comes to cables and standards.
That’s such a non argument: Apple just has to put the right kind of high quality USB-C cable in the box and no consumer will face issues until they decide to get third-party cables.

If Apple can figure out how to put a decent charger and USB-C cable in M1 iPads Pro, Macbook Air and 13” MBP product boxes then surely they can figure out how to do the same for iPhones.

The failure to adopt USB-C on iPhones is not a technical issue for Apple, or a decision made to provide the best and most user-friendly solution for consumers. It’s a profit margins issue, nothing else.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MayaUser Avatar
43 months ago
reliable until last year maybe...now-days is un-reliable analyst Ming Chi Kuo..please lets not lie the users
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
SeaFox Avatar
43 months ago

I really don't understand why Apple are still clinging on to Lightning.
Because Apple hates to admit when they're wrong. They'd rather the EU pass a law that requires it, so they can frame it as "well, we unfortunately had to give up on our Lightning port because of that", rather than because following the rest of industry was really just better than using their own custom solution.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)