USB-C AirPods and AirPods Max could still debut this year according to a new report

Apple continues to move more and more of its devices and accessories away from using the Lightning cable and towards the more universal USB-C connector, and it will do just that with the updated AirPods 4 and refreshed AirPods Max later this year. That's according to a new report reiterating claims from last year.

That report comes via Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, writing in the paywalled version of the weekly Power On newsletter seen by MacRumors. Gurman had previously said that Apple would launch new AirPods 4 and refreshed AirPods Max in late 2024, making the claim back in October of last year. Now, he's backed that up by saying that Apple's planned launch is still underway, hinting that a late 2024 release timeframe is still in the cards.

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Gurman's comments were following a question from a reader about when the new USB-C AirPods would arrive, but little is really known about either product. Gurman says that Apple plans to discontinue the third- and second-gen AirPods when the new AirPods 4 arrive, with two models thought to be in the cards - one potentially borrowing design cues from the higher-end AirPods Pro.

As for the AirPods Max, the addition of the USB-C connector is likely to be the only real design and functionality change that buyers will notice beyond a claim that new colors will be used. We don't know what they will be, but the AirPods Max currently ship in Green, Pink, Silver, Sky Blue, and Space Gray colorways. As for the AirPods Pro, they aren't expected to see a refreshed model until 2025 at the earliest.