Apple's best true wireless earbuds, the AirPods Pro 2, are getting a mid-cycle update to add USB-C charging. That's according to industry insider Ming-Chi Kuo, who says that the second-generation AirPods Pro will ship with a new USB-C charging case later this year.
As we reported a few days ago, Apple's own software mentions a new AirPods model and a new AirPods case, which is a pretty reliable sign that new products are imminent. And this isn't the first time AirPods have been updated without changing the core product. Apple quietly added a MagSafe charging case to its first-generation AirPods Pro in late 2021.
AirPods Pro aren't the only Apple earbuds getting an update for 2023
While the AirPods Pro 2 we'll see later this year are expected to stay identical other than their charging case, Apple is also apparently working on a more significant update to its Beats Studio Buds.
That update is hinted at in the same Apple code that revealed the new AirPods, and it ties in with multiple rumours that the headphones will be called Beats Studio Buds+ and have improved active noise cancellation. Although some rumours predicted that the next generation Studio Buds would get the same W1/H1 chips as the AirPods line, Apple has apparently decided to stick with the same Beats chip as in the current version.
So far there's no sign of an official launch date or price for either set of earbuds, but the Beats Studio Buds were a summertime launch back in 2021 so I wouldn't be surprised if it's the same story with their successor.
If you're hoping for USB-C for other AirPods models, you may be out of luck. Kuo says that at the moment, Apple "appears to have no plans for USB-C versions of the AirPods 2 and 3".
