Despite previous reports that Apple intends to shift to USB-C for charging ports on future iPhones and accessories, the well-known Apple analyst Ming-Chi- Kuo has indicated that he expects the AirPods Pro 2 to retain the Lightning port, in addition to being mass produced in Vietnam.
It has already been reported in the past that Apple is looking to expand its production beyond China, and in his latest Twitter thread, Kuo said that the next version of the wireless earbuds “will enter mass production in Vietnam” in the second half of 2022 – an indicator, presumably, that it could even happen as soon as July.
Kuo linked to a recent Wall Street Journal article about Apple’s apparent intentions to bolster production outside China.
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1. AirPods Pro 2 will enter mass production in Vietnam in 2H22, a successful case of mass production of Apple's major products outside China.https://t.co/siWe9HItrd @WSJ— 郭明錤 (Ming-Chi Kuo) (@mingchikuo) May 24, 2022
As for what made this relocation of production to Vietnam achievable, Kuo attributed it to the “relatively not complicated supply chain” and the “better production environment” – encompassing both “infrastructure and workforce” – that Vietnam offered compared to most countries outside China.
Kuo has previously predicted a launch for the AirPods Pro 2 before the end of this year, as well as that they will come with a new Find My charging case, and support for lossless audio on Apple Music.
