In preparation for the Chinese New Year, which begins on February 1st, 2022, Apple has released a new set of special edition AirPod Pros. Apple is engraving a special emoji on the AirPods Pro case, similar to the previous Year of the Ox. This time, the emoji is themed for the Year of the Tiger.
The retail box has the same red emoji on both sides as the ordinary version, which is the most noticeable difference.
The new Special Edition AirPods Pro – Tiger (official name) is now available to order in various Asian regions, including Hong Kong (where it retails for HK$1,999 ($256.38 USD) with a hefty backorder until May 1st as of writing).
Free red envelopes with a golden embossing of several Chinese zodiac emojis — all wearing the same tiger hood — are also being distributed by Apple. It’s a sweet addition for folks who customarily give money as a new year’s gift, but it’s only available in Apple Stores that offer the special edition AirPods.
If you’re in the US or a few other locations, you can simply get the normal AirPods Pro and get a complimentary tiger emoji engraving…the difference isn’t significant. Apple continues to create special editions each year aimed exclusively towards the Chinese market. This is not at all surprising.
