apple: Apple may launch new AirPods Pro this year, no Type-C port expected – Times of India

It’s been more than two years since Apple launched its flagship true wireless earbuds — AirPods Pro. Rumours about a new AirPods Pro have been gathering momentum for a while now. Noted Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo suggests that the new AirPods Pro will launch sometime in the second half this year. In a series of tweets, Kuo has revealed certain details regarding the new AirPods Pro.
For a while, it has been suggested that Apple will switch to Type-C for a few products, including the AirPods Pro. However, Kuo says that it’s unlikely the switch to a Type-C port will take place with the new AirPods Pro. “I predict the charging case of AirPods Pro 2 will still support Lightning, not USB-C,” tweeted Kuo.
The analyst also said that AirPods Pro 2 will enter mass production in Vietnam in the second half of 2022. This will be one of the first successful case of mass production of Apple’s major products outside China, according to Kuo. Kuo says that the shift of AirPods Pro 2 production can be attributed to the “relatively not complicated supply chain and Vietnam’s better production environment (such as infrastructure and workforce) vs most countries outside China.”
A report by The Wall Street Journal has stated that Apple is looking to move mass production outside of China to countries like Vietnam and India. As per Kuo, it will be very challenging to duplicate the successful experience of AirPods Pro 2 in other products or countries in the short term. A lot of AirPods assemblers are Chinese companies and, according to Kuo, it will be easier for them to set up facilities in Vietnam instead of India. It can also “also reduce potential geopolitical risks,” Kuo said in a series of tweets.