Apple Reportedly Not Planning to Release USB-C Version of AirPods 3
Apple has no plans to release a new version of the third-generation AirPods with a USB-C port, despite intending to do so with a new version of the second-generation AirPods Pro later this year, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo today said.
In a
tweet, Kuo explained that Apple "currently appears to have no plans for USB-C versions of the AirPods 2 & 3." The decision is notable since Apple is
apparently planning to release a revised version of the second-generation AirPods Pro with a USB-C port later this year. Kuo's comment likely suggests that Apple is holding off for the fourth-generation AirPods to offer a USB-C port on the device.
Apple has released new versions of AirPods charging cases twice in the past to add new hardware features such as wireless charging and MagSafe. A new, mid-cycle version of the second-generation AirPods Pro's charging case to switch to a USB-C port is therefore in line with the company's past behavior.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman believes that all three AirPods models could switch to USB-C by the end of 2024, hastened by EU legislation that forces manufacturers to offer USB-C as a common charging port across a wide range of devices.
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