Oliver Haslam on May 24, 2022, 9:48 pm

Kuo: Apple’s AirPods Pro 2 Coming This Year With Lightning, Not USB-C

Apple will release its new AirPods Pro 2 later this year, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. However, it isn’t thought that the new earbuds will come with USB-C support, as had been potentially the case based on rumors.

We’ve heard that Apple is working on moving the iPhone to USB-C in the future and that it will likely do the same with its other devices and accessories. For now, though, that doesn’t include AirPods Pro.

According to a Twitter thread shared by Kuo, this year won’t be the one that moves AirPods Pro to USB-C. The same thread also notes that Apple will begin producing its high-end earbuds in Vietnam in an attempt to further reduce the way it relies on China.

AirPods Pro 2 will enter mass production in Vietnam in 2H22, a successful case of mass production of Apple’s major products outside China.

The news means that those hoping for another product to move to USB-C sooner rather than later are set to be disappointed, although it seems likely that it will happen eventually.

Apple may not need to update the AirPods Pro themselves in order to add USB-C charging, either. Apple previously refreshed its AirPods Pro with a new MagSafe Charging Case without actually changing the AirPods themselves, for example.