AirPods Pro 3 don’t come with a charging cable — and I’m okay with that

AirPods Pro 2 in a person's hand with the case open in front of luggage

(Image credit: Future)

Imagine the scene. It's September 19th, and you've just got your fresh pair of AirPods Pro 3. You open the box. Everything seems present and correct — left earbud, right earbud, charging case... wait. There's something missing. You can't say for sure what it is, but something feels wrong.

You turn the box inside out and then it hits you, there's no included charging cable. How are you going to charge your earbuds without a charging cable?

You won't have to imagine if you've preordered a pair of AirPods Pro 3. Because it's confirmed that Apple isn't packing a USB-C cable into the box.

A quest for minimalism

This isn't the first time that Apple has pulled a charging cable from a product. The AirPods 4 also didn't come with a charging cable, and the brand's phones no longer carry a charging brick.

And, confirmed by a look at the AirPods Pro 3 Apple Store Product page, there is no USB-C cable nestled under your next pair of premium buds.

Which begs the question, do we really need another charging cable? While this feels like an irritating exclusion, I know I don't. But, then again, I've got gadgets and gizmos falling out of my ears and cluttering up my house. Not everyone is in the same position as me.

If you've been sticking with your OG pair of AirPods Pro, and you're still wielding an iPhone 13, it's likely that you've not been privy to a USB-C cable as yet. Your cable collection probably consists of older lightning cables. Those aren't going to help you charge your new AirPods Pro 3.

So, if you want a new cable for your brand new AirPods, you're going to need to buy one — and that's an added expense on top of what are already costly earbuds.

I understand why Apple has moved to remove the cable. Many people already have USB-C cables and don't need another one. But, for those who are upgrading from old devices, it feels like an issue that really doesn't need to exist.

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Tammy and her generous collection of headphones have found a new home — Tom's Guide! After a two-and-a-half-year stint as iMore's resident audiophile, Tammy's reviews and buying guide expertise have more focus than ever on Tom's Guide, helping buyers find the audio gear that works best for them. Tammy has worked with some of the most desirable audio brands on the planet in her time writing about headphones, speakers, and more, bringing a consumer focussed approach to critique and buying advice. Away from her desk, you'll probably find her in the countryside writing (extremely bad) poetry, or putting her screenwriting Masters to good use creating screenplays that'll never see the light of day.

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