With so much going on during Apple’s Wonderlust event on 12 September it would have been very easy to miss some things. Much of the focus was understandably on the newiPhone 15andiPhone 15 Prolineups, but there was plenty else to take in. Including slightly refreshed earbuds.
Sure, theApple Watch Series 9andApple Watch Ultraalso got their debut, but the humble EarPods andAirPods Pro 2also got a mention. Both now support the USB-C charging solution that also came to the new iPhones, while the latter also has a secret feature that will only be available to those who buy the upcomingVision Proheadset.
USB-C as far as the eye can see
The new EarPods aren’t all that exciting, as you might expect. They’re the same as the ones that are already on sale except they ditched the Lightning connector at the end of the cable, replacing it with a new USB-C connector instead. You’ll need that to plug them into one of the new iPhones if you don’t want to mess around with adapters.
As for the AirPods Pro 2, things get more interesting. Apple’spress releasedetails the new USB-C port on the Wireless Charging Case, as you’d expect. But things get more interesting when you look further down the press release and the news that the new AirPods Pro will work particularly well with the upcoming Vision Pro headset.
“AirPods Pro (2nd generation) with MagSafe Charging Case (USB‑C) will enable Lossless Audio with ultra-low latency to deliver the perfect true wireless solution with Apple Vision Pro,” the press release states. “The H2 chip in the latest AirPods Pro and Apple Vision Pro, combined with a groundbreaking wireless audio protocol, unlocks powerful 20-bit, 48 kHz Lossless Audio with a massive reduction in audio latency.” While some will no doubt have something to say about Apple calling that lossless audio, the announcement is interesting in that it sounds like the new Vision Pro feature won’t work with previous AirPods Pro, even if you have the second generation.
“When Apple Vision Pro is available early next year in the U.S., customers will be able to enjoy the most advanced wireless audio experience in the industry with the new AirPods Pro for exceptional entertainment, gaming, FaceTime calls, and so much more,” the press release continues.
The updated AirPods Pro will go on sale for the same $249 asking price on 22 September, the same date that Apple’s new iPhones and Apple Watches will be available to buy.
