Bloomberg’s Gurman Says Apple Will Release a USB-C AirPods Pro Case Alongside iPhone 15 Launch

In the most recent issue of his Power On newsletter, Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman says he expects Apple to release a USB-C charging case for its AirPods Pro wireless earbuds, likely at the same time as the launch of the iPhone 15 lineup in September.

Gurman said the changeover will likely occur alongside the switch from Lightning to USB-C that is expected for the iPhone 15 series this fall.

Gurman’s comments are similar to those made by Apple industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo back in March when he said that Apple has plans to debut a USB-C charging case for the second-generation AirPods Pro later this year. Kuo had said he expects to see shipments of the new case take place in the second or third quarter. Kuo also predicted last spring that Apple will go all-in on USB-C by 2024, phasing out the Lightning port across its entire accessory lineup.

AirPods and Hearing Health

Gurman also said Apple is developing a new hearing test feature for AirPods Pro that will “play different tones and sounds to allow the AirPods to determine how well a person can hear,” to screen for possible hearing issues.

Gurman says the AirPods Pro-based hearing test could “Sherlock” apps that are already in the App Store, like Mimi. Apple met with Mimi’s developers a few years back. The Cupertino firm is known to meet with developers that develop innovative apps, later releasing a feature in its operating systems that makes the apps redundant. Sherlock was the name of the desktop search feature Apple introduced in an early version of Mac OS X that infamously made a smaller app named Watson redundant.

Apple is exploring how it could someday position AirPods as a hearing aid by improving already existing features like Live Listen and Conversation Boost. Neither of those features yet has regulatory approval.

Gurman also repeated previous comments, indicating that Apple is developing health sensors for use in future AirPods generations. One of the sensors could offer the ability to read a user’s body temperature directly from the ear canal, which is believed to be more accurate than taking a temperature reading from the wrist.

Apple currently collects temperature data from users on the Apple Watch Series 8 and Ultra models, taking the temperature measurements while an Apple Watch user sleeps. Apple currently uses the information for fertility tracking. However, the company is looking to expand the temperature measurements’ usage, allowing it to determine if a person has, a cold, flu, or other illness. These temperature measurement features could be several months or years away.

The AirPods Pro will work well with Apple’s upcoming Vision Pro AR/VR headset, pairing with the headset to provide a more private sound experience for users. This will allow Vision Pro users to enjoy the experience while not disturbing others around them.

New AirPods features will come along for the ride with the release of iOS 17. This includes a button to press to mute or unmute yourself on phone or FaceTime calls, improvements in switching your AirPods between other Apple devices, and a new Adaptive Audio feature that can automatically switch between transparency and noise cancellation modes.

Gurman also suggests Apple cut the price of its cheapest AirPods model. The second-generation AirPods are currently offered at a $129 price point. He says they’d be an even better value at a $99 price point, making them more attractive as an impulse buy or a stocking stuffer during the holiday season.