With Apple’s switch from the Lightning connector to USB-C for the upcoming iPhone 15 handsets and its release of a USB-C charging case, the company has now begun selling EarPods headphones with a USB-C connector.
Apple now sells three versions of EarPods, including ones with a USB-C connector, a Lightning connector, and a 3.5mm headphone plug.
Launched in 2012, the EarPods have become a less popular alternative to Apple’s wireless AirPods, which were released in 2016. As of the iPhone 12 series in 2020, Apple stopped including EarPods and a charger in the box with new iPhones in order to be more environmentally friendly.
Per MacOtakara, the updated EarPods seem to support lossless audio playback:
When I connected EarPods (USB-C) to my MacBook Air (M1, 2020) and checked with Audio MIDI settings, EarPods (USB-C) are 16bit/44.1kHz to 24bit. I was able to confirm that it is equipped with a DAC that supports 48kHz.
Apple Music’s lossless audio is “lossless: maximum resolution 24bit/48kHz” and “high-resolution lossless: maximum resolution 24bit/192kHz”, so EarPods (USB-C) are lossless. I was able to confirm that it is compatible.
So there you have it. The revised AirPods Pro 2 with USB-C charging support lossless audio when used with Apple’s upcoming $3,499 Vision Pro headset, and the $19 wired EarPods with USB-C support lossless as well.
All three EarPod configurations retail for $19 on Apple’s online store.
Via MacRumors, 9to5Mac, MacOtakara, and store.apple.com