This could be interesting.
On Tuesday, Lumafield posted CT scan images of the Apple AirPods Pro 2 charging case, offering a look at changes that had been incorporated since the first version.
While the basic layout of the case appears to be similar to the original, Lumafield discovered that the newly added “lanyard loop” is internally connected to the Lightning connector, which interfaces with the logic board, leading the company to speculate that the metal insert might double as an antenna for the U1 chip or serve some other additional purpose.
There’s also a new metal eyelet on the side of the case. While Apple has stated that this is for a lanyard, it also seems to serve an additional purpose. The new metal eyelet is 4 mm deep and 18 mm long, with a hidden tail that’s connected to a metal pad around the Lightning port. It’s thought that this could serve as an antenna to support improved “Find My” tracking.
The U1 chip enables Find My support, allowing users to track the location of the charging case in the Find My app on their iPhone or on iCloud.com. The case features a new built-in speaker that can emit a chime to help with finding it.
Other changes to the charging case include improved water resistance, support for the Apple Watch’s magnetic charging puck, and longer battery life.
The AirPods Pro 2 launched last Friday and retail for $249 in the United States.
Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.