Apple’s next-gen AirPods may have MagSafe magnets built in

A new FCC filing by Apple shows an updated MagSafe charger which was first introduced on the iPhone 12 series last year, and while the differences aren’t immediately apparent, we can make a few educated guesses as to what we might be seeing.  

The diagrams in the filing do show an AirPods case atop an updated MagSafe disk, which is curious considering Apple has never officially advertised using a MagSafe charger to refill an AirPods case – although you can already do that due to the fact MagSafe is really just fancier Qi charging with magnets, the case won’t automatically attach or hold itself up like the latest iPhone 12 series does.

With rumours swirling that Apple is readying the launch of new third-generation AirPods pretty soon, the stars do seem like they could align and we very well may see MagSafe AirPods this year or early next. 

Images also show the MagSafe disk atop a vague boxy rectangle labeled “Phone”, but this shouldn’t come as any surprise. If anything, some expect the iPhone 13 MagSafe to feature even stronger magnets than the current iPhones, so perhaps the updated puck is just a way to connect to the new devices with a better grip.   

Within the documentation, Apple references testing the charger on four “new phones” and on the iPhone 12 series, which is surprisingly referred to as “legacy phones”. 

Credit: Alex Allegro; pocket-lint.com