Upcoming USB-C AirPods Pro Not Expected to Include Any Other Hardware Changes

Apple plans to update AirPods Pro with a USB-C charging case during its "Wonderlust" iPhone 15 event on Tuesday, September 12, but no other hardware changes to the earbuds are expected, according to Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman.

Apple AirPods Pro 2nd gen hero 220907 big
Writing in his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman says he believes Apple will eventually add USB-C ports to all AirPods in its lineup, but he suggests that ‌AirPods Pro‌ will be the first model to receive the updated charging case.

Gurman previously reported that Apple will announce updated AirPods with a USB-C charging case alongside new ‌iPhone 15‌ models, all of which are expected to transition away from Lightning to USB-C, but it wasn't clear if he was referring to the standard AirPods and/or the ‌AirPods Pro‌.

New ‌AirPods Pro‌ features are still expected to arrive with the release of iOS 17, but they will be software-based. In addition, new hearing aid capabilities are expected over the next year or so. Gurman said he also expects price cuts to eventually come to the lower-end AirPods models when USB-C spreads to the rest of the lineup.

Related Roundup: AirPods Pro
Buyer's Guide: AirPods Pro (Caution)
Related Forum: AirPods

Popular Stories

iphone 16 display

iPhone 17's Scratch Resistant Anti-Reflective Display Coating Canceled

Monday April 28, 2025 12:48 pm PDT by
Apple may have canceled the super scratch resistant anti-reflective display coating that it planned to use for the iPhone 17 Pro models, according to a source with reliable information that spoke to MacRumors. Last spring, Weibo leaker Instant Digital suggested Apple was working on a new anti-reflective display layer that was more scratch resistant than the Ceramic Shield. We haven't heard...
iPhone 17 Air Pastel Feature

iPhone 17 Reaches Key Milestone Ahead of Mass Production

Monday April 28, 2025 8:44 am PDT by
Apple has completed Engineering Validation Testing (EVT) for at least one iPhone 17 model, according to a paywalled preview of an upcoming DigiTimes report. iPhone 17 Air mockup based on rumored design The EVT stage involves Apple testing iPhone 17 prototypes to ensure the hardware works as expected. There are still DVT (Design Validation Test) and PVT (Production Validation Test) stages to...
Beyond iPhone 13 Better Blue

20th Anniversary iPhone Likely to Be Made in China Due to 'Extraordinarily Complex' Design

Monday April 28, 2025 4:29 am PDT by
Apple will likely manufacture its 20th anniversary iPhone models in China, despite broader efforts to shift production to India, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In 2027, Apple is planning a "major shake-up" for the iPhone lineup to mark two decades since the original model launched. Gurman's previous reporting indicates the company will introduce a foldable iPhone alongside a "bold"...
iphone 17 air iphone 16 pro

iPhone 17 Air USB-C Port May Have This Unusual Design Quirk

Wednesday April 30, 2025 3:59 am PDT by
Apple is preparing to launch a dramatically thinner iPhone this September, and if recent leaks are anything to go by, the so-called iPhone 17 Air could boast one of the most radical design shifts in recent years. iPhone 17 Air dummy model alongside iPhone 16 Pro (credit: AppleTrack) At just 5.5mm thick (excluding a slightly raised camera bump), the 6.6-inch iPhone 17 Air is expected to become ...
apple watch ultra yellow

What's Next for the Apple Watch Ultra 3 and Apple Watch SE 3

Friday April 25, 2025 2:44 pm PDT by
This week marks the 10th anniversary of the Apple Watch, which launched on April 24, 2015. Yesterday, we recapped features rumored for the Apple Watch Series 11, but since 2015, the Apple Watch has also branched out into the Apple Watch Ultra and the Apple Watch SE, so we thought we'd take a look at what's next for those product lines, too. 2025 Apple Watch Ultra 3 Apple didn't update the...
AirPods Pro 3 Mock Feature

AirPods Pro 3 Just Months Away – Here's What We Know

Tuesday April 29, 2025 1:30 am PDT by
Despite being more than two years old, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 still dominate the premium wireless‑earbud space, thanks to a potent mix of top‑tier audio, class‑leading noise cancellation, and Apple's habit of delivering major new features through software updates. With AirPods Pro 3 widely expected to arrive in 2025, prospective buyers now face a familiar dilemma: snap up the proven...
iPhone 17 Pro Blue Feature Tighter Crop

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 13 New Features

Wednesday April 23, 2025 8:31 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of April 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone ...
iPhone 17 Pro on Desk Feature

All iPhone 17 Models Again Rumored to Feature 12GB of RAM

Tuesday April 29, 2025 3:36 am PDT by
All upcoming iPhone 17 models will come equipped with 12GB of RAM to support Apple Intelligence, according to the Weibo-based leaker Digital Chat Station. The claim from the Chinese leaker, who has sources within Apple's supply chain, comes a few days after industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said that the iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max will all be equipped with 12GB of RAM. ...

Top Rated Comments

Unami Avatar
22 months ago
No other changes, not even a price hike? c‘mon apple, I know you can do it.
Score: 31 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Nozuka Avatar
22 months ago

Nobody wants an extra USB-C cable for 1 device (AirPods) if the rest of their Apple devices are still lightning charging. It can become such a hassle to deal with.
Which is why Apple should have switched a long time ago and not just switch some devices and not others.
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
shinyleaf Avatar
22 months ago
I’ve wonder: what about Mac accessories? The Magic Mouse, trackpad, and keyboard all still use lightning connectors. It makes even less sense on the Mac and just odd they haven’t updated them yet.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
3530025 Avatar
22 months ago

I'm happy with this news. I recently got the AirPods Pro 2 for my birthday, fortunately with lightning connector. I'm happy I don't need to have both lightning and USB-C connectors in every spot where I don't want to charge my devices. In due time, when I upgrade to an iPhone with USB-C, I'll have to bite the bullet.
Totally get this. Now imagine this. We, who bought more products from Apple than just AirPods and iPhone, for instance we have Macbook and iPad as well, we have to deal with USB-C and lightning weird mix for few years now.

Excited to finally see USB-C in iPhone and airpods.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Herrpod Avatar
22 months ago
Lazy AF, but expected.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Zevertan Avatar
22 months ago
Ffs update all the models and not just the pros
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)