Apple may switch AirPods to USB Type-C charging, but not before next year

The reliable Apple analyst tweeted on Tuesday that the company will launch USB-C charging capable cases for all AirPods models in 2022. However, Kuo went on to add that the AirPods Pro 2 scheduled to launch this year will still come with Lightning support.

I predict Apple will launch USB-C-capable charging cases for all AirPods models in 2023. However, the charging case of the new AirPods Pro 2 launched in 2H22 may still support Lightning.
— 郭明錤 (Ming-Chi Kuo) (@mingchikuo) August 9, 2022
But this is not the first time that Kuo is predicting the AirPods will shift to USB-C: In a series of tweets posted on May 16, Kuo made the exact same prediction while rubbishing the rumours that Apple was preparing to create an iPhone with no ports. A USB-C port would be bigger and heftier than the lighting port but it could offer advantages for a device like the AirPods, including faster-charging speeds.

Between the iPhone and the AirPods, this could mark a complete shift for Apple from the Lightning connector to the USB-C standard. If Kuo’s prediction is right and the upcoming AirPods Pro launching this year comes with a Lightning connector, it could mean that users who buy them would need to buy a new charging case (or perhaps, an adapter) next year if they want to bring all their devices under the USB Type-C umbrella.
In the past, the company has vehemently stuck with the Lightning port for iPhones and some accessories despite shifting to USB-C for most iPads and Macs. This new change in direction for the company could be due to the European Commission’s new rules regarding a common charging port for all mobile phones.