Apple AirPods Max 2: Everything we know so far
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission.
Update: Apple has announced that a new version of the AirPods Max will be available on September 20 at its Glowtime event. It will be available in four new colors: Midnight Blue, Purple, Orange and Starlight.
The AirPods Max are, for all intents and purposes, due an upgrade. They've been around since 2020, and they've since been very much overtaken by the rest of the competition. Apple has announced that a new version of the AirPods Max will be available on September 20 at its Glowtime event. It uses USB-C for charging and will be available in four new colors: Midnight Blue, Purple, Orange and Starlight.
What else are we expecting to see from the new AirPods? We're not looking at a massive overhaul to the formula, but instead an iterative update. It looks like there's going to be improved noise canceling and sound quality, and then a USB-C port on the bottom for charging to allow for the new EU regulations around charging connectors.
Here is everything we already know about the AirPods Max, and how they're going to look when we finally get them, as well as what we'd like to see from one of the most expensive pairs of headphones you can buy.
Apple AirPods Max 2: Latest news (updated September 9)
Apple event set for September 9 — iPhone 16, new Apple Watch 10 and more
Apple AirPods Max 2 and cheaper AirPods Lite just tipped to launch this year
AirPods Max 2 reportedly coming in 2024 — and these are the top upgrades
Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo seems to think we'll get the AirPods Max 2 in 2024 or possibly 2025
Apple is working on a way to process gestures on a touch-sensitive surface
Apple AirPods Max 2: Potential release date and price speculation
When will the AirPods Max 2 arrive?
We've only had one pair of AirPods Max so far, and they were released in December 2020. Rumors all indicate that the AirPods Max 2 are going to be coming sooner rather than later, with the likes of Gurman and Ming-Chi Kuo giving us a late 2024 or early 2025 date. Unfortunately, the AirPods Max shown at the Apple event in September weren't quite the AirPods Max 2 we were hoping for, offering little in the way of upgrades. Still, those are available for pre-order and will release on September 20.
How much will the AirPods Max 2 cost?
As for AirPods Max 2 price rumors, we have no indication yet on whether they’ll cost $549 like the original pair. Even though they can regularly be found discounted in the best headphone deals, the AirPods Max are considerably more expensive than many of the best AirPods Max alternatives, like the Sony WH-1000XM5 and the new Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones. So, we’re not getting our hopes up for a price drop.
Apple AirPods Max 2: Potential design changes
Currently, the AirPods Max earn plenty of style points thanks to sleek aluminum cups, extendable arm bands and a mesh headband. They’re a bit hefty compared to the Sony WH-1000XM5 vs. AirPods Max, but we like how substantial they feel.
We’re also a fan of the color options, which include space gray, silver, sky blue, green and pink. There’s a rumor that before Apple releases the second-gen AirPods Max, we’ll get refreshed colors for the current-gen model. We could eventually see these rumored colors come to the AirPods Max 2.
That's confirmed by Bloomberg tech writer Mark Gurman who said in the latest installment of his Power On newsletter that next AirPods Max will come with USB-C, in place of Lighting, along with some new colors. But much like the USB-C AirPods Pro 2, those will apparently be the only things Apple is actually going to change.
This is disappointing, to say the least. AirPods Max currently cost $550, and they’re already missing out on features on account of their aging hardware. The AirPods Pro 2 now offer Adaptive Audio, which includes Adaptive Noise Control, Personalized Volume, and Conversation Awareness. Unfortunately, these features are powered by the H2 chip, which the AirPods Max lacks.
There’s also reason to suspect that the AirPods Max 2 could get touch controls. A patent application suggests Apple is working on a way to process gestures on a touch-sensitive surface. Many headphones and wireless earbuds have intuitive touch controls, so it would make sense that they could come on the next version of AirPods Max.
Also apparently missing from the updated feature set? A lovely new case to replace the rubbish one that you currently get in the box. Alas, no chance of an all-encompassing hard case to make sure that the AirPods Max 2 are kept in perfect condition in your bag, instead it seems like we'll be getting the same suede lined... thing from the old model.
Apple AirPods Max 2: Features we want to see
Until we learn more about the AirPods Max 2, we’ve made a list of the features we hope the AirPods Max 2 will offer compared to the original AirPods Max:
H2 Chip: Apple not including its latest headphone chip in the next generation of AirPods Max would be a mistake. The custom silicon comes with improved computational audio over the H1.
This allows for enhanced sound quality and better battery life as it manages the energy use more efficiently. The H2 chip also makes personalized volume, adaptive audio, and better noise cancellation possible.
Precision finding: One of the more useful features of the iPhone 15 series and the latest generation of Apple Watch is the U2 Ultra Wideband chip. This allows for precision finding in the Find My App.
While you can track your AirPods Max with Find My, it doesn't have the finer location tracking only available in the U2. So this is something I'd like to see included in the AirPods Max 2. After all, who hasn't misplaced headphones from time to time?
Wired listening: This sounds like a simple idea but the ability to continue using the AirPods Max with a cable even when the battery is dead would be invaluable. It is currently possible with the addition of a $35 Lightning-to-3.5mm cable but even that won't work if there is no life in the battery at all.
New case: The existing AirPods Max “Smart Case” offers very little protection for the headphones, leaving the headband entirely exposed and susceptible to damage. And since AirPods Max aren’t waterproof, the included case leaves ports at risk if water bottle leaks or wet weather permeate your bag. We’d like a new case for the AirPods Max 2, but for now, the solution is buying one of the best AirPods Max cases and covers.
Power button: While the AirPods Max have a low-power mode for when they’re paused for several minutes or stowed away in the magnetic smart case, we wish there was a way to completely power down the AirPods Max. For the AirPods Max 2, we’d like a real power button. But who knows? Maybe Apple can make the change to the existing AirPods Max with a software update.
More supported audio formats: In terms of sound resolution and detail, the AirPods Max best output is Apple's current wireless codec, AAC. Rival companies like Sony, though, have implemented wireless transmission codecs for higher sound quality, and then of course there's the new aptX Lossless Audio codec already supported by some mobile devices.
We know that Apple's new USB-C AirPods Pro 2 version will have support for a new Lossless Audio protocol that will arrive with the $3,500 Vision Pro mixed reality headset in 2024. If the AirPods Max ever aim to become the best headphones for audiophiles, any new version will need to support lossless audio.
Better battery life: There’s nothing wrong with the AirPods Max 20-hour battery life — 20 hours is plenty for a commute, work day or flight on an airplane. But there are plenty of models that offer stronger playback time with longer listening times with fewer recharges. The Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless give an incredible 60-hour playback time with ANC enabled, while the Sony WH-1000XM5 last 30 hours with active noise cancellation enabled and is the bare minimum any next-gen AirPods Max should be able to reach.
Lower price: The current Apple AirPods Max cost $549, making them a seriously expensive pair of wireless headphones. Sometimes deals bring the cost down by about $100, but we think a starting price somewhere in the $350-$450 range would make the AirPods Max 2 a stronger sell.
Should you buy AirPods Max now or wait for AirPods Max 2?
if you're currently looking at grabbing a pair of AirPods Max, than you'll want to see how they compare against the competition in our AirPods Max vs. Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones face-off. We'd recommend getting them when they're reduced as well, so make sure you check out the best headphone deals to make sure you get the best deal possible.
Until we've got a clear picture of what to expect from the AirPods Max, there's not enough reason to wait. Otherwise, check out our guide to the best noise-cancelling headphones or best over-ear headphones you can buy right now.
