The worst iPhone earbuds are getting a big upgrade

At this point it would be a huge surprise if Apple shipped the iPhone 15 lineup with anything other than a USB-C port, but the latest phones aren't the only Apple products that are getting the USB-C treatment. Apple's worst earbuds are as well.

The loss of Lightning is something that few iPhone owners are likely to shed any tears over, especially if they happen to have any other devices that already use USB-C. The iPad is already a USB-C device of course, as are the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro. And every Android phone you buy today will have a USB-C port on its bottom edge. But Apple is only switching because the European Union made it, and now it's switching the wired EarPods as well.

That's right, the EarPods that used to come bundled in with iPhones will now also get their very own USB-C upgrade, although they still won't come in the box with your new iPhone.

The USB-C upgrade comes via Twitter leaker ShrimpApplePro and makes plenty of sense. The EU USB-C mandate doesn't only affect phones, but also many other types of personal electronics as well. That includes tablets, cameras, and yes, headphones.

It makes even more sense when you remember that EarPods are very much wired earbuds, so they need to be able to plug into your iPhone. And it's no good selling EarPods that have a cable that can't plug into the port on the bottom of the latest and greatest iPhones now, is it?

Of course, we still wouldn't suggest picking up a pair of EarPods. Sure, they're cheap at just $19 but they also suck. Instead, we'd suggest picking up a pair of AirPods instead. Even the first generation would be a good bet if you could find them somewhere, but right now you can bag a pair of the second-generation AirPods for a very reasonable price. Not only do you get better sound and a design that will be more likely to stay in your ears, but you also get to ditch those cables as well.

Speaking of USB-C and AirPods, those will no doubt have to join forces as well. New AirPods and AirPods Pro with USB-C are sure to arrive before the EU's deadline of the end of 2024. And remember AirPods Max? They must be updated to ditch that legacy Lightning connector as well. When that will happen isn't immediately clear, however, nor is whether Apple will choose to revamp the headphones at the same time.