All Three AirPods Models to Switch to USB-C (2024)

Friday October 14, 2022 2:33 am PDT by Hartley Charlton

The AirPods, AirPods Pro, and AirPods Max are all set to transition to USB-C as soon as 2024, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

AirPods Charging Case with USB-C port by Ken Pillonel.

The European Parliament recently approved a major new directive to force manufacturers to offer USB-C as a common charging port across a wide range of devices in Europe by the end of 2024. In his latest "Power On" newsletter, Gurman said that Apple has been preparing to make changes to its devices to meet these stringent new legal requirements.

Under the new directive, all new mobile phones, tablets, digital cameras, headphones and headsets, handheld videogame consoles and portable speakers, e-readers, keyboards, mice, portable navigation systems, earbuds and laptops that are rechargeable via a wired cable, operating with a power delivery of up to 100 Watts, will have to be equipped with a USB Type-C port. As such, all of Apple's AirPods and Beats products come under the EU's new directive.

Gurman believes that Apple will beat the legislation's date of application in late 2024 with most of its products. The iPhone 15, he claims, will beat the EU's mandate by a year, featuring a USB-C port in the fall of 2023. The entry level iPad, the only ‌iPad‌ to still feature a Lightning connector should switch to USB-C by the end of this year.

All three of Apple's AirPods models feature a Lightning connector, and while there has never been a model with a USB-C port, Apple has added new ways to charge some of the devices over time, such as Qi wireless chargers, MagSafe, and the Apple Watch charger. Gurman expects new versions of all three AirPods models to feature the port sooner rather later:

I don't think Apple will take that long to bring USB-C to all of its devices, though. I'd bet the next versions of the regular AirPods, AirPods Pro and AirPods Max all move to USB-C, and that transition should be done by 2024.

He added that "at some point in the next few years," Apple will probably begin transitioning entirely to inductive charging on the iPhone and the ‌iPad‌, a move that largely exempts the devices from EU law mandating a the inclusion of a USB-C port. Similarly, it seems plausible that entirely portless AirPods could be on the way, especially since wired data transfer is not a priority for the device.

Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo expects the switch to USB-C on AirPods to start as early as next year with a charging case for the second-generation ‌AirPods Pro‌.

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All Three AirPods Models to Switch to USB-C (2024)

FAQs

Which AirPods uses USB-C? ›

AirPods Pro (2nd generation) with MagSafe Charging Case (USB‑C)

Read The Full Story ›

Will AirPods ever be USB-C? ›

Apple AirPods Pro 2 USB-C Review: Still Hard to Beat for Apple Users. Aside from their charging port, Apple has made some small changes to the new USB-C AirPods Pro 2 that make them ever so slightly better.

Tell Me More ›

Will AirPods 3 come with USB-C? ›

Apple has no plans to release USB-C versions of the AirPods 2 and 3, according to an industry analyst.

Can I change AirPods case to USB-C? ›

If you want to replace your AirPods Pro 2's Lightning-equipped charging case with the new USB-C version, you now can -- for $99.

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Is USB-C AirPods better? ›

Bottom line. With a more convenient port and some major software upgrades, the AirPods Pro 2 with USB-C make one of our best wireless earbuds picks even better.

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When did AirPods Pro 2 change to USB-C? ›

Just announced at Apple's September Wonderlust event, the AirPods Pro 2 (2023) with USB-C charging became available on September 22, 2023.

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Will AirPods 4 have USB-C? ›

The standard version of AirPods 4 is anticipated to feature active noise cancellation (ANC), a transition from the Lightning port to a USB-C charging, and speakers for Find My alerts.

Read On ›

Why is Apple switching to USB-C? ›

The move is largely the result of a new European Union law requiring universal USB-C phone chargers by 2024. While it will require users to get new cables for their iPhones, they'll also be able to use those cables to charge more things, and many people probably already own USB-C cables.

Get More Info ›

Do AirPods charge faster with USB-C? ›

Finally, YES! And with the USB-C, it has now the potential to deliver more power than its predecessor, Lightning. This means that AirPods can charge faster, reducing the amount of waiting time between uses.

Get More Info Here ›

Which is better AirPods 2 or 3? ›

Apple AirPods 3

Aside from the design change, which should fit most ears better than the AirPods 2nd Generation (though not very small ears), the biggest change is to the sound quality: It's much improved. Also, battery life is better, and the AirPods 3 are officially water-resistant. Read our Apple AirPods 3 review.

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Why are 3rd gen AirPods cheaper? ›

The AirPods 3 borrow some of the Pros' key features — including their sleek looks and immersive Spatial Audio — but pack them into a simpler and more affordable design that sacrifices things like ANC and a secure silicon fit.

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Which AirPods are better? ›

The AirPods Max are the most premium headphones Apple sells, and even do a few specific things better than the AirPods Pro 2, which have more advanced technology thanks to Apple's H2 chip.

Learn More Now ›

Why do my AirPod pros not have USB-C? ›

not all AirPods Pro from the second gen feature an usb C case. You can buy AirPods Pro second gen with lightning case as well. So your case has a lightning connector therefore you cannot charge it with an usb c cable, you can only charge it with a lightning to usb c cable.

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Does AirPods 3 have wireless charging? ›

Wireless charging requires a Qi‑certified wireless charger. AirPods (3rd generation) charging case also works with the Apple Watch charger or Lightning connector.

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How do you charge AirPods 3rd generation? ›

Charge the AirPods or AirPods Pro case

Wireless charging case: For AirPods (2nd generation) or AirPods (3rd generation) with a wireless charging case, or AirPods Pro (all generations), place the case with the status light facing up on the center of a MagSafe wireless charger or a Qi-certified charger.

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Does AirPods 2 have USB-C? ›

not all AirPods Pro from the second gen feature an usb C case. You can buy AirPods Pro second gen with lightning case as well. So your case has a lightning connector therefore you cannot charge it with an usb c cable, you can only charge it with a lightning to usb c cable.

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Does Apple make USB-C earbuds? ›

The Apple EarPods (USB-C) are an addition to Apple's line of cheap earbuds designed to be compatible with the latest USB-C iPhones. What is the price?

Find Out More ›

Will AirPods Max 2 have USB-C? ›

Since the company finally brought USB-C to the iPhone and even did a small update to AirPods Pro 2 with a new USB-C charging case, it's basically guaranteed that the company will switch out the Lightning port for a USB-C port for AirPods Max 2.

Get More Info ›

Is there any difference between AirPods Pro 2 Lightning and USB-C? ›

In terms of mic pickup, it seems that the new USB-C type is able to deal with background noise effectively, even with recording apps, whereas the Lightning connector version can't do it as well as it could before the 6A301 update. Samples here.

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