Latest AirPods Pro 2 rumors are all about that case

a leaked image of the airpods pro 2 charging case
(Image credit: MacRumors)

It's no secret that the anticipated AirPods Pro 2 Bluetooth earbuds will look almost exactly like the current version, but, according to a new leak, the same might not be said for the charging case.

Not only will it get relatively subtle design updates, but some impressive new audio features.

According to 52Audio, which appears to be outlining a multitude of details from what might be Apple's own internal, leaked documents, the AirPods Pro 2 will offer all the features of the current model, but add, as expected, more health-related chops, including heart rate and temperature sensors. The report doesn't offer any fresh detail about how these features might work, though it refers to what may be an updated H1 chip to support these and myriad other capabilities.

The more interesting rumors revolve around audio enhancement to the case. That's right, according to 52Audio, the AirPods Pro case gets some microphones in the base - on either side of the Lightning (or USB-C) port. The microphones might be designed to collect ambient sound and deliver it directly to the AirPods Pro 2 earbuds for an enhanced hearing aid experience.

There are other interesting, though less ear...um...earth-shattering potential changes to the case like a new speaker hole that works with Apple's Find My to make a sound when you're trying to locate the case. AirPods can already do this.

There's also a new cutout on the side of the case that looks like it's designed to support the introduction of an AirPods Pro case lanyard.

Most of these design changes align with previous leaks, though the latest rumors offer a bit more context for how the AirPods pro 2 might use these features.

Hear me, maybe

Obviously, these are all just rumors. Apple has yet to confirm the existence of the AirPods Pro 2, though it's highly likely Apple will introduce an upgrade for this hugely popular audio product.

The addition of hearing-aid capabilities not only in the AirPods Pros themselves but the case makes perfect sense. For Apple, wearables are natural health devices. Most of the big Apple Watch updates have revolved around health and fitness monitoring and motivations.

We'll be shocked if the AirPods Pro 2 do not include heartrate tracking, as the current model is already protected against sweat and is meant to be a walking and workout companion.

Are we upset that we won't get a fresh new look? Not really, especially not if the next generation can make such a potentially big difference in how we hear the world around us.

While you wait for whatever Apple brings next, check out this comparison of the best spatial audio devices.

TOPICS
Lance Ulanoff
Editor At Large

A 38-year industry veteran and award-winning journalist, Lance has covered technology since PCs were the size of suitcases and “on line” meant “waiting.” He’s a former Lifewire Editor-in-Chief, Mashable Editor-in-Chief, and, before that, Editor in Chief of PCMag.com and Senior Vice President of Content for Ziff Davis, Inc. He also wrote a popular, weekly tech column for Medium called The Upgrade.

Lance Ulanoff makes frequent appearances on national, international, and local news programs including Live with Kelly and Mark, the Today Show, Good Morning America, CNBC, CNN, and the BBC. 

Read more
Apple AirPods Pro 2 in open case
AirPods Pro 3: all the latest rumors and leaks, plus what we want to see
The AirPods Pro 2 on a table with case
5 features the AirPods Pro 3 should steal from Sony, Bose and more of today's best earbuds
Powerbeats Pro 2 worn by Shedeur Sanders, a quarterback for the Colorado Buffaloes.
Apple's Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 rumored to beat AirPods to ear-based heart rate monitoring
Apple AirPods Pro
AirPods Pro 3's big bet is health-tracking, but would that make you upgrade?
Powerbeats Pro 2 worn by Shedeur Sanders, a quarterback for the Colorado Buffaloes.
Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 buds just appeared in an official database, so prep for launch
A quartet of images claiming to depict the Powerbeats Pro 2, in lilac and orange colorways
More Powerbeats Pro 2 images have surfaced, and there's a 'Heart Rate' button
Latest in Earbuds & Airpods
Pedro Pascal in Apple's Someday ad promoting the AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation.
Pedro Pascal cures his heartbreak thanks to AirPods 4 (and the power of dance) in this new ad
FCC filing for the Nothing CMF Buds 2 Plus
Waiting for new Nothing cheap earbuds to go with the Phone 3a? It won’t be long – but audiophiles should skip 'em
Close-up of woman using AirPods Pro 2
AirPods could catch up with Samsung buds with a live translation free upgrade in iOS 19
The JLab JBuds Open Sport in their case at a 3/4 angle, in front of a pink background.
I reviewed JLab’s budget open-ear buds – and their affordable price requires one major sacrifice
The Apple AirPods 4 on a blue background with text saying Lowest Price.
AirPods 4 are down to $99 again, but there's a better AirPods Pro 2 deal that I'd buy
AirPods Pro 2 out of their case on a wooden surface
Camera-toting AirPods with Apple Intelligence said to be in active development – but the idea may be too flawed to take off
Latest in News
L-mount alliance
Sirui joins L-Mount Alliance to deliver its superb budget lenses for Leica, DJI, Sigma and Panasonic cameras
Security padlock and circuit board to protect data
Trust in digital services around the world sees a massive drop as security worries continue
A Lego Pikachu tail next to a Pebble OS watch and a screenshot of Assassin's Creed Shadow
ICYMI: the week's 7 biggest tech stories from LG's excellent new OLED TV to our Assassin's Creed Shadow review
Samuel and Romy standing very close together in A24's Babygirl movie
Everything new on Max in April 2025, including A24's Babygirl and The Last of Us season 2
An AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT made by Sapphire on a table with its retail packaging
AMD’s secret weapon against Nvidia seems to be stock – way more RX 9070 GPUs are rumored to be hitting shelves than RTX 5000 models
Hacker silhouette working on a laptop with North Korean flag on the background
North Korea unveils new military unit targeting AI attacks