The new AirPods that Apple announced at its iPhone 16 event come with a case with a USB-C port, but they won’t come with a USB-C charging cable in the box. As spotted by 9to5Mac, the new device’s official page states that USB-C charging cables are sold separately for both the basic AirPods 4 and the AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation.
Apple didn’t reveal the lack of cables in the earbuds’ packages at the event, but perhaps the company anticipated that most people already have a bunch of USB-C cables lying around. Still, it has changed the AirPods’ case Lightning port, so existing users got a Lightning cable with their previous models.
Apple started selling its devices without a charging brick years ago, and it also stopped shipping the Apple TV with a USB cable for its Siri charger in 2022.
So, no, it’s not groundbreaking, but those who don’t have an extra cable to use with the AirPods 4 will have to buy it. The latest version of the AirPods Max comes with a cable, though, so those who want to buy a pair don’t need to put an extra cable in their shopping cart.
For those who are still unsure about buying the AirPods 4: We found the ANC version’s performance to be impressive.
Engadget senior reporter Billy Steele got a chance to try it out in Apple Park’s chaotic hands-on area, and the active noise cancellation nearly silenced a room full of event attendees. Apple even called the new model the “best-fitting AirPods ever.”
As the world changes, so do console generations. The Nintendo Switch is more than seven years old, so it needs a refresh. Nintendo Switch 2 rumors have been circulating for years, but now we’re getting some hints. The company officially revealed the sequel to its most successful home console ever in a brief trailer on January 16.
The Switch 2 looks functionally the same as the original system, though with a larger display, magnetic Joy-Cons, and a sleeker design. The company also confirmed that the upcoming console will be backwards compatible with Switch games.
While the reveal confirmed some rumors and gave some interesting details for those who have been paying attention, Nintendo is still keeping its cards close to its chest. We’ll have to wait until a special Nintendo Direct on April 2 for all the interesting details. Annoyingly, that date is Wednesday and not To-As-Day.