Apple Introduces Updated AirPods Pro and EarPods With USB-C and More

In addition to the iPhone 15 models getting a USB-C port, Apple today announced that the second-generation AirPods Pro are now available to order with a USB-C charging case for $249, and the wired EarPods now come in a USB-C version as well.

AirPods USB C Port
The updated second-generation AirPods Pro ship with a USB-C charging case, but the case is not sold separately at this time on Apple's online store. Additionally, the updated second-generation AirPods Pro include improved IP54-rated dust resistance for the earbuds and case, and will support lossless audio when connected to the Apple Vision Pro headset launching in early 2024. No other changes were announced.

Apple said the updated second-generation AirPods Pro will begin arriving to customers and launch in stores on Friday, September 22.

Apple continues to sell EarPods with a Lightning connector and with a 3.5mm headphone jack.

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

Top Rated Comments

Apple Knowledge Navigator Avatar
8 months ago

Such a stupid change. Keeping lightning would have been better. Delusional.
Why? The new iPhones feature USB-C charging cables; and most AirPod users will own an iPhone.
MacBooks and iPads are now charged via USB-C.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
_Spinn_ Avatar
8 months ago
USB C should be very nice!
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Arsenikdote Avatar
8 months ago

Such a stupid change. Keeping lightning would have been better. Delusional.

First of all, having one cable for Mac, iPad, iPhone, AirPods is waaay better.
Second of all, it wasn't Apple's choice. The EU forced their hand

Then remove Apple Watch wireless charging and include a USB-C port.

And also remove the MagSafe port from MacBook.

Using your logic...
The point you are intentionally ignoring or are not understanding is that consolidating the types of cables someone needs to posses is considered a benefit by most people. Consolidation down to no choice might not be, but reduction to redundant types is a benefit. For example, wireless charging and wired charging are different methods each having different benefits/trade offs. Lightning has become redundant to USB C and is a layer deeper now splitting the wired options. Since fewer Apple products use lightning than USB C, it makes sense to remove this redundancy in wired charging options, also thereby reducing the number of physical cables a user needs to have.

From a consolidation perspective it is not delusional, it is helpful. Plus as you have also conveniently ignored, they were forced to make the change on the iPhone, further increasing the need to consolidate the redundancy of wired charging/data cable options.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
2010mini Avatar
8 months ago
Thank you European Union for forcing Apple to switch to USB-C.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Mrkevinfinnerty Avatar
8 months ago
https://www.theverge.com/2023/9/12/23870476/fyi-apples-usb-c-airpods-pro-are-more-durable-than-last-years-pair
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
thejadedmonkey Avatar
8 months ago
Any word on the regular Airpods?
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

maxresdefault

Apple Announces 'Let Loose' Event on May 7 Amid Rumors of New iPads

Tuesday April 23, 2024 7:11 am PDT by
Apple has announced it will be holding a special event on Tuesday, May 7 at 7 a.m. Pacific Time (10 a.m. Eastern Time), with a live stream to be available on Apple.com and on YouTube as usual. The event invitation has a tagline of "Let Loose" and shows an artistic render of an Apple Pencil, suggesting that iPads will be a focus of the event. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more ...
Apple Silicon AI Optimized Feature Siri

Apple Releases Open Source AI Models That Run On-Device

Wednesday April 24, 2024 3:39 pm PDT by
Apple today released several open source large language models (LLMs) that are designed to run on-device rather than through cloud servers. Called OpenELM (Open-source Efficient Language Models), the LLMs are available on the Hugging Face Hub, a community for sharing AI code. As outlined in a white paper [PDF], there are eight total OpenELM models, four of which were pre-trained using the...
iOS 18 Siri Integrated Feature

iOS 18 Rumored to Add These 10 New Features to Your iPhone

Wednesday April 24, 2024 2:05 pm PDT by
Apple is set to unveil iOS 18 during its WWDC keynote on June 10, so the software update is a little over six weeks away from being announced. Below, we recap rumored features and changes planned for the iPhone with iOS 18. iOS 18 will reportedly be the "biggest" update in the iPhone's history, with new ChatGPT-inspired generative AI features, a more customizable Home Screen, and much more....
Apple Vision Pro Dual Loop Band Orange Feature 2

Apple Cuts Vision Pro Shipments as Demand Falls 'Sharply Beyond Expectations'

Tuesday April 23, 2024 9:44 am PDT by
Apple has dropped the number of Vision Pro units that it plans to ship in 2024, going from an expected 700 to 800k units to just 400k to 450k units, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Orders have been scaled back before the Vision Pro has launched in markets outside of the United States, which Kuo says is a sign that demand in the U.S. has "fallen sharply beyond expectations." As a...
iPad And Calculator App Feature 1

Apple Finally Plans to Release a Calculator App for iPad Later This Year

Tuesday April 23, 2024 9:08 am PDT by
Apple is finally planning a Calculator app for the iPad, over 14 years after launching the device, according to a source familiar with the matter. iPadOS 18 will include a built-in Calculator app for all iPad models that are compatible with the software update, which is expected to be unveiled during the opening keynote of Apple's annual developers conference WWDC on June 10. AppleInsider...