A reference to new model numbers for AirPods and a charging case were spotted on the upcoming iOS 16.4 update.
AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) were launched by the company in September 2022
AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) — the company's successor to the first generation AirPods Pro that were launched in 2019 — could be released as a new model with a USB Type-C port later this year. According to information shared by an industry analyst, the Cupertino company could be working on a new AirPods Pro model that features a USB Type-C charging port, unlike the current model that features the company's proprietary Lightning port. Apple is also rumoured to launch its next generation of smartphones, the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro lineup equipped with USB Type-C ports.
TF Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who has previously leaked details of several Apple products, states that Apple plans to launch a new version of the second-generation AirPods Pro with a USB Type-C port. Kuo was responding via a quote tweet to a tipster who claimed that iOS 16.4 contained references to new AirPods with the model number A3048 and a new AirPods case that bears the model number A2968.
If the analyst's prediction is accurate, the AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) that were launched in September 2022 alongside the iPhone 14 series of smartphones, could be available in a new model with a USB Type-C port later this year. Kuo states that the new AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) model could enter mass production by the second or third quarter of this year.
This is not the first Apple product to switch the Lightning port in favour of a USB Type-C port — the company has already equipped recent iPad models with support for a modern USB connector, just like the Siri Remote for the Apple TV. According to rumours, the company is also likely to equip its iPhone 15 models with USB Type-C ports when they debut later this year.
The Cupertino company has previously refreshed its first generation AirPods Pro model in the past with a MagSafe compatible charging case, but customers had to purchase a new pair of AirPods Pro — and not just the charging case. There's no word on whether Apple also plans on updating other accessories, such as the AirPods (3rd Gen) and AirPods Max, with USB Type-C ports.
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