Kuo: AirPods Pro 2 May Have Lightning Charging Case, USB-C Coming in 2023

Tuesday August 9, 2022 6:37 am PDT by Joe Rossignol

Apple's second-generation AirPods Pro may still have a Lightning charging case, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. In a tweet today, Kuo predicted that Apple will switch to a USB-C charging case for all AirPods models in 2023.

usb c airpods

AirPods charging case modded with a USB-C port by Ken Pillonel

Kuo said the new AirPods Pro will be released later this year. Several new features have been rumored for the earbuds, including an upgrade to the H1 chip that powers features like active noise cancellation, support for Apple Lossless audio playback, updated motion sensors for expanded fitness tracking capabilities, a new charging case that can emit a sound when lost, a skin-detect sensor for improved in-ear detection, and more.

Apple reportedly tested a more compact design for the new AirPods Pro that would eliminate the stems that drop below the earbuds, similar to Apple's Beats Studio Buds, but recent rumors suggest the earbuds will not have any significant design changes.

I predict Apple will launch USB-C-capable charging cases for all AirPods models in 2023. However, the charging case of the new AirPods Pro 2 launched in 2H22 may still support Lightning. — 郭明錤 (Ming-Chi Kuo) (@mingchikuo) August 9, 2022

In May, Kuo predicted that other iPhone accessories would switch to USB-C in the future as well, such as the MagSafe Battery Pack.

Related Roundups: AirPods 4, AirPods Pro 3

Tags: AirPods Pro 2, Ming-Chi Kuo

Buyer's Guide: AirPods (Neutral), AirPods Pro (Buy Now)

Related Forum: AirPods

Popular Stories

iOS 26.4 Adds Two New Features to CarPlay

Tuesday March 24, 2026 1:55 pm PDT by Joe Rossignol

iOS 26.4 was released today, and it includes a couple of new features for CarPlay: an Ambient Music widget and support for voice-based chatbot apps. To update your iPhone 11 or newer to iOS 26.4, open the Settings app and tap on General → Software Update. CarPlay will automatically offer the new features so long as the iPhone connected to your vehicle is running iOS 26.4 or later....

• 25 comments

Apple Unveils 'Apple Business' All-in-One Platform

Tuesday March 24, 2026 8:53 am PDT by Hartley Charlton

Apple today announced Apple Business, a new all-in-one platform that unifies device management, productivity tools, and customer outreach features. The service is designed to be a consolidated replacement for several of Apple's existing business-focused offerings, including Apple Business Essentials, Apple Business Manager, and Apple Business Connect. It provides organizations with a single...

• 46 comments

Apple Releases New Firmware for AirPods Pro 3, AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4

Tuesday March 24, 2026 12:31 pm PDT by Juli Clover

Apple today released new firmware for the AirPods Pro 2, AirPods Pro 3, and the AirPods 4. The firmware has a version number of 8B39, up from 8B34 on the AirPods Pro 3, 8B28 on the AirPods Pro 2, and 8B21 on the AirPods 4. There is no word on what's included in the firmware, but Apple has a support document with limited notes. Most updates are limited to bug fixes and performance...

• 87 comments

Top Rated Comments

fwmireault

47 months ago

A missed opportunity if true, USB-C port can't come soon enough in iOS devices and accessories. I guess I'll wait a bit before upgrading my AirPods Pro

Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)

tobybrut

47 months ago

This report actually makes sense. I thought the original report sounded wrong. iPhone is Apple's #1 seller by nearly an order of magnitude and every accessory Apple sells that has an Apple brand on it uses Lightning (some Beats that are targeted at Android have USB-C), the same port as the iPhone. I figured there was no way Apple would change its accessories before the iPhone. They would change ports at the same time.

If people hate Lightning on the iPhone because they want one cable, it's equally stupid to buy AirPods with USB-C and iPhone with Lightning. It should be the same with both.

It makes a lot more sense for Apple to sell Lightning AirPods with their Lightning iPhone 14 and then next year sell AirPods with USB-C and iPhone 15 with USB-C. They don't even have to rev the AirPods, just the case, which they have done in the past, e.g. MagSafe AirPods Pro case.

Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)