It’s always frustrating when you buy an expensive tech product and then a new version comes out a few months later. That sensation may be familiar to those who bought the AirPods Pro earlier this year, then saw a USB-C version roll out alongside the iPhone 15 in September.
The good news for remorseful buyers is that the headphones themselves aren’t different; they’re still the 2nd-gen model. It’s just the case that’s been updated to replace the Lightning port with USB-C (alongside MagSafe wireless charging, as on the previous case). And better still, Apple has now–as spotted by The Verge–started selling that updated case on its own, without the annoyance of another pair of AirPods Pro to clutter up your house and drain your bank account.
Not that the case is exactly cheap. It’ll set you back $99/£89 if you buy direct from the Apple Store (where it’s available right now in the (U.S) and (U.K.). Those who are prepared to wait a few months may find that third-party resellers discount it a little, although we’re not currently seeing much by way of savings on the wireless charging case for the standard AirPods which Apple has been selling for $79 for a while.
The timing of all this, incidentally, is classic Apple. For the first three months of its life the USB-C case was available only as a bundle with the 2nd-gen AirPods Pro, to maximize revenue from early adopters; now that the holiday sales rush is largely over, it’s time to give the product a boost by unveiling the cheaper deal. Much like the annoying strategy of waiting six months before launching a new color for the latest-generation iPhones.
Next year we hope to see some actual new AirPods, from the long-awaited 2nd-gen AirPods Max to the widely rumored AirPods Lite. Read about Apple’s plans for 2024 in our guide to upcoming AirPods launches.
Author: David Price, Editor
David has loved the iPhone since covering the original 2007 launch; later his obsession expanded to include iPad and Apple Watch. He offers advice to owners (and prospective owners) of these devices.