Kuo: AirPods Pro 2 May Have Lightning Charging Case, USB-C Coming in 2023
Apple's second-generation AirPods Pro may still have a Lightning charging case, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. In a tweet today, Kuo predicted that Apple will switch to a USB-C charging case for all AirPods models in 2023.

Kuo said the new AirPods Pro will be released later this year. Several new features have been rumored for the earbuds, including an upgrade to the H1 chip that powers features like active noise cancellation, support for Apple Lossless audio playback, updated motion sensors for expanded fitness tracking capabilities, a new charging case that can emit a sound when lost, a skin-detect sensor for improved in-ear detection, and more.
Apple reportedly tested a more compact design for the new AirPods Pro that would eliminate the stems that drop below the earbuds, similar to Apple's Beats Studio Buds, but recent rumors suggest the earbuds will not have any significant design changes.
In May, Kuo predicted that
other iPhone accessories would switch to USB-C in the future as well, such as the MagSafe Battery Pack.
Popular Stories
Apple today announced it will be permanently closing three retail stores in the U.S. in June, including Apple Trumbull in Trumbull, Connecticut, Apple North County in Escondido, California, and Apple Towson Town Center in Towson, Maryland.
Apple Towson Town Center in Maryland
Apple issued the following statement to MacRumors:At Apple, we are constantly striving to deliver exceptional service...
Apple today released a minor iOS 26.4.1 update for the iPhone 11 and newer. While the release notes for the update only mention unspecified "bug fixes," we have since learned about two specific changes that are included in it.
First, 9to5Mac spotted an Apple Developer Forums thread suggesting that iOS 26.4.1 fixes an iOS 26.4 bug that affected iCloud syncing in some apps.
Second, an...
As we wait for WWDC to kick off next Monday, Apple today announced the winners of its annual Apple Design Awards, recognizing apps and games for their innovation, ingenuity, and technical achievement.
The 2025 Apple Design Award winners are listed below, with one app and one game selected per category:
Delight and Fun - CapWords (App) and Balatro (Game)
Innovation - Play (App) and PBJ -...
Popular Stories
For the last several months, Apple has been working on interoperability changes that are set to be implemented in the European Union to comply with the Digital Markets Act. Apple is developing AirPods-like pairing and notification forwarding for third-party wearables.
Testing on these features started back in iOS 26.3 and continued in iOS 26.4, but the options have not yet launched. Apple is ...
Apple today released new firmware for the AirPods Pro 2, AirPods Pro 3, and the AirPods 4. The firmware has a version number of 8B39, up from 8B34 on the AirPods Pro 3, 8B28 on the AirPods Pro 2, and 8B21 on the AirPods 4.
There is no word on what's included in the firmware, but Apple has a support document with limited notes. Most updates are limited to bug fixes and performance...
Accessory maker Spigen this week expanded its lineup of case options that are designed to look like vintage Apple Macs. The clever new Classic LS AirPods Pro 3 Case resembles a the iconic Apple Macintosh mouse, so it goes well with Spigen's Mac-style iPhone cases.
Priced at $25 from Amazon, the case features the stone color that was used for the Classic Macintosh, along with a gray mouse...