AirPods Pro should switch to USB-C charging this year, but don’t expect third-generation AirPods to get a USB-C charging case version until 2024.
- What’s happening? A new version of the AirPods Pro with a USB-C charging case may arrive later this year, but AirPods 3 with USB-C won’t arrive in 2023.
- Why care? As Apple transitions from Lightning, you’ll need the right cables and power adapters to charge devices over USB-C.
- What to do? Check out our roundup of popular USB-C chargers. Since you’ll be dealing with USB-C and Lightning during the transition, be sure to check out our selection of popular 3-in-1 USB cables.
AirPods Pro with USB-C charging case coming in 2023
Prominent industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said on Twitter that Apple will only equip its AirPods Pro noise-canceling headphones with a USB-C case version. As for the second and third generation AirPods, they will keep the Lightning port on the charging case as Kuo doesn’t expect any updates in that direction this year.
According to Kuo’s tweet, Apple “doesn’t seem to have any plans to release USB-C versions of the AirPods 2 and 3 at this time.”That doesn’t mean Apple will continue to sell AirPods with Lightning in 2024 and beyond, especially given the EU regulation requiring USB-C charging on all consumer gadgets by the end of 2024.
I think this is probably the USB-C version of the AirPods Pro 2, which is expected to ship in Q2-Q3 2023. Incidentally, Apple currently has no plans to release USB-C versions of the AirPods 2 and 3.
我覺得這應該是AirPods Pro… https://t.co/aWKJvGh1lW
— 郭明錤 (Ming-Chi Kuo) (@mingchikuo) March 24, 2023
“I think this is most likely the USB-C version of the AirPods Pro 2, with bulk shipments expected in Q2 and Q3 2023,” Kuo wrote.
“By the way, Apple is not currently planning to release USB-C versions of the AirPods 2 and 3.” His tweet is a reaction to recent finds in the iOS 16.4 code revealing links to unreleased AirPods with model number A3048 and a new AirPods case with model number A2968.
Will regular AirPods get USB-C charging in 2024?
By the end of 2024, Apple will launch fourth-generation AirPods with a USB-C charging case included. As for the upcoming AirPods Pro update, we wouldn’t expect any new features other than a USB-C charging case if we were you.
Kuo is generally reliable in predicting Apple’s future moves, but not in terms of timing. For example, in August 2022, Kuo stated that all AirPods models will receive USB-C charging in 2023. By contrast, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman is adamant that all AirPods – regular models as well as AirPods Pro and AirPods Max – will use USB. -C charging by the end of 2024.
In addition, next year Apple is expected to phase out Lightning and adopt USB-C in its Magic for Mac accessories and MagSafe Battery Pack accessory for iPhone. New European legislation requires all gadgets sold in the European Union to be capable of charging via the ubiquitous USB-C standard.
Companies are expected to complete the mandate by December 28, 2024.