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

Sunday September 3, 2023 6:23 am PDT by Tim Hardwick

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.

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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.

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Tags: Bloomberg, USB-C, Mark Gurman

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Top Rated Comments

Unami

3 weeks ago

No other changes, not even a price hike? c‘mon apple, I know you can do it.

Score: 31 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Nozuka

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

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)

hacky

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)