With the iPhone 15 series set to have USB-C (but with a few caveats), this should also mean that Apple’s core accessories should make the switch as well. There’s new evidence that at least the 2nd Gen AirPods Pro will be among the first Apple accessories to make the shift to USB-C.

This was spotted in the iOS 16.4 release candidate for developers, where there are references to a new version of AirPods—carrying the model code A3048, with the case carrying the model code A2968. From the speculations about these mystery AirPods so far, analyst Min-Chi Kuo does think that they might refer to the USB-C version of the 2nd Gen AirPods Pro.

I think this is likely the USB-C version of the AirPods Pro 2, with mass shipments expected in 2Q23-3Q23. By the way, Apple currently appears to have no plans for USB-C versions of the AirPods 2 & 3.

???????AirPods Pro… https://t.co/aWKJvGh1lW

— ??? (Ming-Chi Kuo) (@mingchikuo) March 24, 2023

We don’t know if this version of the AirPods Pro will have any actual changes other than a port change on the charging case, but Kuo expects that Apple will make them available between the 2nd quarter to 3rd quarter of 2023–ahead of the unveiling of the iPhone 15 series.

What’s interesting is that the Lightning port is not going to be completely gone: Kuo adds that the USB-C port option will only be for the AirPods Pro, and that the AirPods 2 and 3 will still use Lightning.