We've heard all sorts of weird and wonderful rumours regarding the next generation of Apple's AirPods and AirPods Pro, from news of a tiny new design to the ability to control them with your teeth (seriously). And now, the company has finally revealed a brand new iteration of the AirPods Pro – sort of.
Designed to coincide with Chinese New Year next month, Apple's limited edition AirPods Pro feature a bespoke engraving of an ox (the Year of the Ox begins on 12 February). While not quite the dramatic update we were, and still are, hoping for, it's nonetheless a fun update to one of our best wireless headphones.
Apple's ox-themed AirPods Pro (Image credit: Apple)
Both the AirPods Pro charging case and box feature an adapted version of the iOS cow face emoji, with a smaller, winking cow popping out of top of the larger's head (we're not quite sure why – but hey, it's fun). The AirPods are available to order now, and cost exactly the same as the regular version.
And now for the bad news: you'll need to be pretty lucky to get your hands on a pair. According to Pocket-lint , Apple is only making 25,400 editions of the Chinese New Year AirPods Pro, and they're only available from its retail and web stores in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore and Malaysia. Still, if you don't manage to get hold of them this year, there's always the next Year of the Ox – in 2033.
As well as the new AirPods Pro, Apple has also tweaked its logo on its Chinese website (below), turning the famous Apple into a slightly angry looking ox. Apple's is one of our best logos of all time, and it's a rare treat to see the company have some fun with the iconic design.
A screenshot of Apple's Chinese homepage (Image credit: Apple)
From 'through body controls' to a striking new design, various leaks suggest the actual next iteration of the AirPods Pro could look (and function) very different to the current version. Hopefully we'll get our first glimpse of these soon, but in the meantime, check out today's best AirPods deals below. Or you could try your luck snagging these limited editions – but be warned, they'll probably be snapped up just as quickly as the stunning black PS5.
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Daniel John is Senior News Editor at Creative Bloq. He reports on the worlds of art, design, branding and lifestyle tech (which often translates to tech made by Apple). He joined in 2020 after working in copywriting and digital marketing with brands including ITV, NBC, Channel 4 and more.
