Images of transparent prototype AirPods and a 29W Apple power adapter have been shared on Twitter by Apple device collector Giulio Zompetti.
The prototypes, which appear to be either first-generation or second-generation AirPods, feature clear plastic along the stem and around the outer side of the earbud, with the normal white plastic on the inner side of the earbud. Transparent casings are sometimes used for prototypes to allow engineers to see directly into the device.
Apple has been known to use transparent casings for prototypes dating back to the Macintosh Classic. Other Apple device prototypes, such as for the Macintosh Portable and Newton have emerged over the years, but this is the first time that the striking transparent casing has been seen on an Apple device as recent and as compact as AirPods.
Observers may perceive some coincidental similarities between these prototype AirPods and the design of Nothing's "Ear (1)" true wireless earbuds, which are positioned as a low-cost AirPods Pro competitor.
Last week, Zompetti shared images of a prototype Apple 29W charger with a transparent casing. The 29W power adapter came with the 12-inch MacBook, but was discontinued with that machine in 2018 and replaced with a 30W adapter.
29W Apple Charger prototype. pic.twitter.com/h2ZoHCMw0F — Giulio Zompetti (@1nsane_dev) November 23, 2021
Zompetti is an avid collector of Apple prototype devices and has previously shared images of an Apple Watch Series 3 prototype with additional connectors, an original iPad with two 30-pin ports, an iPhone 12 Pro prototype, a third-generation iPod touch with a rear camera, rare original Apple Watch prototypes, and most notably, a working AirPower prototype.
