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Apple could finally switch all AirPods to USB-C, starting with AirPods Pro
- Apple could finally bring USB-C to the charging case of the AirPods Pro this year, alongside the USB-C shift on the iPhone 15.
- The AirPods and AirPods Max will also get USB-C but with “future generations.”
- Apple could also be exploring more health features, like including a temperature sensor on future models.
Apple’s AirPods are one of the company’s most successful products, generating billions of dollars annually and popularizing TWS earbuds. With the impending shift of the iPhone 15 to USB-C, Apple could also explore shifting the AirPods lineup to USB-C, starting with the AirPods Pro. The company is also exploring adding health-related features to the AirPods.
According to reliable Apple leaker Mark Gurman, Apple could finally yield to the shift to USB-C. First on the list for its hearables are the AirPods Pro, which could finally get a USB-C charging case as part of its refresh this year.
The regular AirPods and the AirPods Max will also shift to USB-C, though these are said to be on the cards for “future generations.” The regular AirPods could see a price drop this year instead, going down to a possible $99 from its current $129.
Moving at least one of the AirPods to USB-C will help augment the single-cable life for iPhone 15 users. It will also mark the first time in several years that you need just one cable (USB-C) to handle all of your Apple products. The Apple Watch uses a proprietary magnetic charging dock, but at least one end is USB-C. So with a good USB-C charger and a reasonably limited set of USB-C cables, Apple users can finally enjoy the hype behind USB-C that Android users have enjoyed for years.
USB-C AirPods could also possibly gain popularity with Android users, as they remain functional on Android despite no official support.
Beyond these changes, health features are part of Apple’s vision for the AirPods. The company is said to be working on a new hearing test feature that will play different tones and sounds and use data around it to help determine a person’s hearing.
Apple is also exploring adding sensors to the AirPods to help measure body temperature from within the ear canal. This measurement is said to be more accurate than temperature measurements through the Apple Watch. It can possibly be expanded to determine if a person has a cold or other illness. These features are said to be several months or even years away as the AirPods roughly follow a staggered three-year development cycle across the three models.