Apple released the AirPods Max on December 15, 2020, meaning the over-ear headphones launched five years ago today. While the AirPods Max were updated with a USB-C port and new color options last year, followed by support for lossless audio and ultra-low latency audio this year, the headphones lack some of the features that have been introduced for newer generations of the regular AirPods and the AirPods Pro.


Fortunately, it has been rumored that Apple plans to update the AirPods Max within the next few years, and they will likely receive the following 10 changes.

Earlier this year, Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said he expected lighter AirPods Max to enter mass production in 2027. However, he did not outline any other planned upgrades beyond the headphones apparently weighing less.

The current AirPods Max weigh 0.85 pounds, excluding the charging case, according to Apple.

AirPods Max still have Apple's H1 chip from 2019, so it is very likely that a second-generation pair would be equipped with the H2 chip or newer. That should unlock at least seven upgrades, including improved sound quality, increased active noise cancellation, longer battery life, Adaptive Audio, Personalized Volume, Conversation Awareness, and the ability to use "Siri" instead of "Hey Siri."

Adaptive Audio adjusts Active Noise Cancellation based on your environment — you can customize the setting to allow more or less ambient noise. Personalized Volume is a similar feature that adjusts your AirPods volume based on both your surroundings and your volume preferences. Conversation Awareness temporarily lowers your volume and enhances voices in front of you while you are talking with someone.

Other likely changes include new color options for the ear cushions and headband, as well as a redesigned carrying case. Hopefully the case gains an Ultra Wideband chip, which would unlock Precision Finding in the Find My app.

In the U.S., AirPods Max remain priced at $549, but they are frequently on sale for less at Amazon and other resellers. Unless you really want AirPods Max now, we are now at a point where waiting for the 2027 model is worthwhile.
This article, "AirPods Max 2 Likely to Offer These 10 New Features" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple's AirPods Max launched five years ago today, marking the company's first push into the high-end over-ear headphones market under its own brand name.


Rumors about Apple's work on a pair of high-end headphones, at the time believed to be called the "AirPods Studio," heated up throughout 2020. They were announced abruptly via a somewhat unexpected press release on December 8, 2020 and went on sale the same day. Orders started arriving to customers one week later on Tuesday, December 15.

The ‌AirPods Max‌ offer many popular AirPods features such as the H1 chip, easy pairing, Active Noise Cancellation, Transparency mode, automatic switching, and Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking, but in a premium over-ear design for the first time. They also offer a headband made of a flexible mesh canopy, replaceable magnetic earcups, a Digital Crown for physical volume controls, a button for switching between ANC and Transparency, and a Smart Case for storage and to put the headphones into a low power state.

Demand for the ‌AirPods Max‌ was high immediately after launch, with shipping estimates that stretched out several months. Initial reviews of AirPods Max were favorable, applauding the headphones for being "more than enough to compete with other high-end headphones" in terms of design and sound quality. While the recommended retail price remains at $549, the ‌AirPods Max‌ are often available with discounts of over $100.

The ‌AirPods Max‌ have also been subject to criticism since their launch, including for their price relative to rival sets of high-end over-ear headphones, the design of the Smart Case, condensation inside the earcups, poor battery life (something that was later fixed via a software update), ANC strength seemingly being reduced over time, the over-head canopy's poor durability, and the long period in which the device has been left without meaningful hardware update.

Last year, Apple refreshed the AirPods Max's selection of color options and swapped the Lightning port for USB-C, but there were no other changes. Since the changes were so minor, Apple does not seem to consider the "new" model a second-generation.
This article, "AirPods Max Launched Five Years Ago Today" first appeared on MacRumors.com

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