Why can't I get AirPods Pro 2 in cool colors in this post-AirPods Max world?

Apple AirPods Pro 2 in blue, pink and green colors

(Image credit: Apple)

I'm really looking forward to AirPods Pro 2, as someone who's used AirPods Pro as my daily driver headphones for a few years, despite the appearance of many advanced and impressive competitors (I wrote a bit about why here).

I don't mind at all that the physical design hasn't changed – I wasn't desperate for a stick-less design or anything. I really like the squeezy controls of the AirPods Pro (2019), because they're basically impossible to trigger accidentally, and work with or without gloves. Without stems, you lose these controls, so I've got no beef at all with the new AirPods Pro being the exact same shape as before.

But after six years of exclusively all-white Apple earbuds… couldn't we have some color options other than white? I know it's a really basic opinion and complaint to make about them about them, but a) I still have it; and b) it seems like it would also be a pretty basic thing to fix.

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And you know, I might not even think much about this, if Apple weren't so happy to offer other products in a range of cool colors. AirPods Max are the most important one to mention, since they're part of the the same line-up as AirPods Pro, and come in five great multi-tone color options. I have the green ones, and I love them.

AirPods Max in green on green background — The AirPods Max colorways are extra fun because they mix different finishes and exact tones. (Image credit: Future)

But then there's Beats Fit Pro, made by Apple, which not only come in four regular tones, but now also offer three extra skin-tone-mimicking finishes courtesy of a collaboration with Kim Kardashian. (For those interested, I would like to note here for the record that Beats was actually beaten to the skin-tone punch by a much cheaper JLab range.)

The neutral colored Beats Fir Pro earbuds on a table — Three 'neutral' Beats tones, from the Kim K collection. (Image credit: Apple)

And finally, don't forget Apple Watch. They're not headphones, but they're one of the clearest signs that Apple knows that people like accessories that come in personal colors! You can get the Apple Watch in three different materials, with multiple colors/tones per material… and you can customize further with assorted strap designs and colors, which are constantly being rotated for new seasons. The new Apple Watch SE 2 just got a whole new red tone for the latest version!

But AirPods Pro 2 just come in gleaming white. Okay, you might say that Apple earbuds are white. They've always been white, and it's an iconic look since the iPod days. That they're prominent white is free advertising for Apple.

But that hasn't stopped Apple from changing the once-iconic aluminum silver of its laptops to offer other tones. The new MacBook Air M2 comes in four different finishes!

My best hope for getting some funky-looking AirPods in my ears (apart from using a company such as Colorware that does its own work to add color options to various products, including AirPods) is that Apple might add colors to the AirPods range a year or so after its launch. This happened with HomePod Mini, so there's always a chance. In the meantime, it'll be all-white on the night for the AirPods Pro launch on Friday September 23 – here's where you can find the best AirPods Pro 2 pre-order options.

Matt is TechRadar's Managing Editor for Entertainment, meaning he's in charge of persuading our team of writers and reviewers to watch the latest TV shows and movies on gorgeous TVs and listen to fantastic speakers and headphones. It's a tough task, as you can imagine. Matt has over a decade of experience in tech publishing, and previously ran the TV & audio coverage for our colleagues at T3.com, and before that he edited T3 magazine. During his career, he's also contributed to places as varied as Creative Bloq, PC Gamer, PetsRadar, MacLife, and Edge. TV and movie nerdism is his speciality, and he goes to the cinema three times a week. He's always happy to explain the virtues of Dolby Vision over a drink, but he might need to use props, like he's explaining the offside rule.