Apple’s iconic wired EarPods have had a bit of a renaissance over the last two years as some turn to the simplicity of wired headphones compared to AirPods. With the iPhone 15 expected to switch to USB-C this year, Apple is reportedly prepping an updated version of EarPods with a USB-C connector…
When the iPhone 7 ditched the 3.5mm headphone jack, Apple switched to including a version of EarPods in the box with a Lightning connector. AirPods, of course, were simultaneously announced alongside the iPhone 7. The eventual success of AirPods led to Apple making the decision to stop including EarPods in the iPhone box, starting with the iPhone 12.
Still, Apple has continued to sell wired EarPods as a separate accessory for less than $20. As we covered back in 2021, wired AirPods have made somewhat of a comeback, especially among younger generations.
With that in mind, reliable leaker ShrimpApplePro is reporting that Apple has started mass production on a new version of EarPods that use USB-C for connectivity instead of Lightning. The leaker first reported on this development back in February and doubled down on the claim in a new post on Twitter today.
9to5Mac’s Take
Top comment by atonaldenim
AirPods are a totally unnecessary tsunami of e-waste due to their small non-replaceable batteries that mean they MUST be thrown out after only a few years.
Wired headphones can last forever in theory.
My personal solution is a very small carrying case with 3.5mm wired EarPods, plus a lightning adapter for my iPhone, and a USB-C adapter for my iPad. That kit works with every device I have and will never need to be thrown away. And any time I inevitably lose one of the pieces, none of them costs more than $20 to replace. (And whoever finds the lost piece can use it themselves!)
EarPods are probably here to stay indefinitely. Even though AirPods have been ubiquitous in much of the world, there’s still value in Apple selling a cheap pair of wired earbuds. In fact, I generally recommend most people carry a pair of wired EarBuds, especially when traveling.
USB-C EarPods will also be useful for iPad users, as most of the iPad lineup has also ditched Lightning (and the headphone jack) in favor of a USB-C port.
When was the last time you connected a pair of wired EarPods to your iPhone? Would you spend a little bit extra to have a backup pair of USB-C EarPods? Let us know in the comments.
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