Along with the iPhone 15 series, Apple is reportedly re-introducing the AirPods Pro 2, but this time, consumers will be greeted with the USB-C interface instead of the Lightning port on the charging case. Also, you will not have to wait a while to get your hands on one of these, as one analyst claims that mass shipments could happen from the second quarter of this year.

Unfortunately, Apple could only launch the AirPods Pro 2 with a USB-C charging case, meaning it could set a premium for these

Referring to the evidence of new AirPods found in iOS 16.4, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo provides an update concerning Apple’s plans to launch new wireless earbuds, but with a USB-C port. According to him, the company only plans to launch the AirPods Pro 2, along with a USB-C charging case, which will likely support Qi wireless charging, providing even more convenience out of the box.

However, as much as consumers should get excited about a USB-C wireless charging case, the transition to the new port only looks to be limited to the AirPods Pro 2. Kuo states in his tweet that it does not appear that Apple will launch the AirPods 2 or AirPods 3 with the same case, meaning that consumers will have to pay extra for the ‘Pro’ versions just for a difference in the charging port.

Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo provides his launch predictions

Also, the analyst has not mentioned if Apple intends to sell the USB-C wireless charging case separately, but looking at the company’s past business practices, it does not look like this will happen. The price at which these wireless earbuds will be sold was not discussed in the tweet either, but our guess is that these can start at the same $249 as the previous iteration. Keep in mind that the Lightning port version of the AirPods Pro 2 is routinely available for $199.99 at places like Amazon and Verizon.

If Apple wants to charge consumers $50 extra for absolutely nothing but a shift from Lightning to USB-C, it could prove to be an unsuccessful experiment. Then again, the company is known for charging ridiculous sums of money for basic items like a cleaning cloth, so we will not be surprised if consumers flock over to spend that extra $50 to get that USB-C wireless charging case. At least the advantage for buyers is that they will no longer have to carry extra cables to charge the earbuds.

News Source: Ming-Chi Kuo