EarPods With USB-C Said to Be in Mass Production Ahead of iPhone 15 Launch

With all four iPhone 15 models expected to feature a USB-C port instead of Lightning, several Apple accessories will switch to USB-C as well. For example, EarPods with a USB-C connector are already in mass production, according to a tweet today from leaker ShrimpApplePro. They previously said Foxconn is supplying the earbuds.

EarPods USB C Feature Yellow
The new EarPods would connect directly to the USB-C port on iPhone 15 models, without an adapter. Apple's wired earbuds are currently available with a Lightning connector or a 3.5mm headphone jack, with both versions priced at $19.

EarPods have become less popular since Apple released wireless AirPods in 2016, and removed the headphone jack on iPhones, but they remain a more affordable option for customers. EarPods also provide a simple plug-and-play wired listening experience, with a built-in remote and no charging or pairing necessary.

Apple is expected to announce the iPhone 15 lineup in September, and the new EarPods would likely launch around then. Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo previously claimed that other accessories like AirPods charging cases, the MagSafe Battery Pack, and the Magic Keyboard/Trackpad/Mouse trio will switch to USB-C in the future as well.

Popular Stories

maxresdefault

Where's the New Apple TV?

Monday December 22, 2025 11:30 am PST by
Apple hasn't updated the Apple TV 4K since 2022, and 2025 was supposed to be the year that we got a refresh. There were rumors suggesting Apple would release the new Apple TV before the end of 2025, but it looks like that's not going to happen now. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said several times across 2024 and 2025 that Apple would...
top stories 2025 12 20

Top Stories: iOS 26.3 Beta, Major Apple Leaks, and More

Saturday December 20, 2025 6:00 am PST by
You'd think things would be slowing down heading into the holidays, but this week saw a whirlwind of Apple leaks and rumors while Apple started its next cycle of betas following last week's release of iOS 26.2 and related updates. This week also saw the release of a new Apple Music integration with ChatGPT, so read on below for all the details on this week's biggest stories! Top Stories i...
iOS 26

iOS 26.3 Brings AirPods-Like Pairing to Third-Party Devices in EU Under DMA

Monday December 22, 2025 3:20 pm PST by
The European Commission today praised the interoperability changes that Apple is introducing in iOS 26.3, once again crediting the Digital Markets Act (DMA) with bringing "new opportunities" to European users and developers. The Digital Markets Act requires Apple to provide third-party accessories with the same capabilities and access to device features that Apple's own products get. In iOS...
iOS 26

iOS 26.2 Adds These 8 New Features to Your iPhone

Monday December 22, 2025 8:47 am PST by
Earlier this month, Apple released iOS 26.2, following more than a month of beta testing. It is a big update, with many new features and changes for iPhones. iOS 26.2 adds a Liquid Glass slider for the Lock Screen's clock, offline lyrics in Apple Music, and more. Below, we have highlighted a total of eight new features. Liquid Glass Slider on Lock Screen A new slider in the Lock...
iPhone Top Left Hole Punch Face ID Feature Purple

iPhone 18 Pro Launching Next Year With These 12 New Features

Tuesday December 23, 2025 8:36 am PST by
While the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are not expected to launch for another nine months, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we have recapped 12 features rumored for the iPhone 18 Pro models. The same overall design is expected, with 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch display sizes, and a "plateau" housing three rear cameras Under-screen Face ID Front camera in...
iPhone Top Left Hole Punch Face ID Feature Purple

iPhone 18 Pro Features Leaked in New Report, Including Under-Screen Face ID

Tuesday December 16, 2025 8:44 am PST by
Next year's iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max will be equipped with under-screen Face ID, and the front camera will be moved to the top-left corner of the screen, according to a new report from The Information's Wayne Ma and Qianer Liu. As a result of these changes, the report said the iPhone 18 Pro models will not have a pill-shaped Dynamic Island cutout at the top of the screen....
iPhone Chips

Apple Clings to Samsung as RAM Prices Soar

Monday December 22, 2025 6:17 am PST by
Apple is significantly increasing its reliance on Samsung for iPhone memory as component prices surge, according to The Korea Economic Daily. Apple is said to be expanding the share of iPhone memory it sources from Samsung due to rapidly rising memory prices. The shift is expected to result in Samsung supplying roughly 60% to 70% of the low-power DRAM used in the iPhone 17, compared with a...
iPhone Fold Vertical Feature

Why Apple's Foldable iPhone May Be Smaller Than Expected

Tuesday December 23, 2025 5:21 am PST by
Apple's first foldable iPhone, rumored for release next year, may turn out to be smaller than most people imagine, if a recent report is anything to go by. According to The Information, the outer display on the book-style device will measure just 5.3 inches – that's smaller than the 5.4-inch screen on the ‌iPhone‌ mini, a line Apple discontinued in 2022 due to poor sales. The report has led ...

Top Rated Comments

HobeSoundDarryl Avatar
35 months ago

Why wired still, when most iPhone owners use bluetooth now?
Wired still offers the opportunity for superior audio quality, no latency, not dead when you want to use them, even less risk of loss by one falling out, much longer use life, "just works", much lower consumer cost, broad compatibility with everything, etc.

Except for getting rid of the wire, Bluetooth is basically inferior in every way.
Score: 47 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Jhonjhon236 Avatar
35 months ago

Why wired still, when most use blue tooth now.
Because EarPods cost $19 vs AirPods that cost $129?
Score: 33 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ifxf Avatar
35 months ago

Why wired still, when most iPhone owners use bluetooth now?
I use wired headphones all of the time at the gym. Keep them in the bag, no need to worry if they are charged.
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DaPizzaMan Avatar
35 months ago
If you ask me, this is the most conclusive evidence of a USB-C iPhone.
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
icanhazmac Avatar
35 months ago

It's so sad that EU government tyranny led to this. Apple has no freedom to innovate anymore.
Yup. Can't wait for all the busted ports. USB-C is nowhere near as robust or sturdy a physical port. This standard might be great for small electronics that don't see a lot of "in-n-out" action on the port but I don't think this was well thought out when it comes to phones. Had to have mine replaced on my 2017 MBP but never once had a problem with a lightning port.
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
slplss Avatar
35 months ago

It's so sad that EU government tyranny led to this. Apple has no freedom to innovate anymore.
They had a lot of freedom to innovate their Lighting ports since 2012. Even today, Lighting speed is limited to USB 2.0 speeds. That came in year 2000!
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)