Earlier this year, Apple began replacing the Lightning port with USB-C on many devices, including the AirPods Pro 2 The problem was that existing AirPods Pro 2 cases could not be upgraded and new earbuds had to be purchased Thankfully, this problem has been resolved

Apple has launched a USB-C charging case for the AirPods Pro 2 for $99 This is not cheap hardware, but it is certainly a better deal than spending $189 to $250 for a set of AirPods Pro 2 that may never need to be replaced

The only downside is that you may not be able to get these new cases before Christmas; the estimated delivery dates listed on Apple's website currently say they will arrive between December 17 and January 2, and the nearest Apple Store There is no option to pick up the product

It is unclear what the new case means for the minor upgrades made available with the USB-C AirPods Pro 2 The new version of Apple's earbuds has a limited form of lossless audio support that is only compatible with the unreleased Apple Vision Pro headset It is unclear if this is something that could be added to older buds via a firmware update

There are also reported changes to the acoustic architecture, with the new AirPods Pro seemingly offering a slight improvement in sound quality However, if you are an audiophile, you might miss the sound quality of the older AirPods Pro 2 version

Thankfully, the real differences between the old and new AirPods Pro 2 are rather negligible in the grand scheme of things It's not so much that it's worth paying more than double the price for a new set, when all you really want is a USB-C port The dust and water resistance of the case itself is also officially IP54, as opposed to the IPX4 water resistance of the Lightning case

So if you want to replace the Lightning and USB-C without spending a fortune, order a new case from the Apple Store It does not appear to be available at other retailers yet, but will be in the near future