AirPods Pro with 2 USB Type-C charging ports coming soon
This shift from Lightning ports to USB-C is most likely a direct effect of the European Union’s ruling that requires all mobile phones, tablets, and other electronic devices to be equipped with Type-C ports. Apple has started shipping its Mac and iPad devices with Type-C connectors, however, the AirPods and iPhone lineup currently use the company’s proprietary Lighting connector. With the recent developments on the iOS 16.4 beta rollout, it is likely that the AirPods Pro 2 are set to shift to the Type-C port for charging.
According to a person, the model number of the new AirPods is The A3048 AirPods case with the model number A2968 was found as a reference in the new version of iOS 16. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo later suggested that these could point to the upcoming AirPods Pro 2 with a Type-C charging port. The new AirPods Pro 2 are likely to start mass shipping in the second or third quarter of 2023. It is still unclear whether the AirPods 2 and AirPods 3 will get this Type-C connector update.
The iPhone is also likely to shift to Type-C charging port with the iPhone 15 series. The EU ruling technically allows the upcoming iPhone 15 to continue to have a Lightning port. Some models are expected to shift to Type-C port.
