Considering Apple has a reputation for releasing product updates every couple of years, it is somewhat surprising that we’re yet to be treated to the second generation of the hugely popular Apple AirPods Max.
The AirPods Max represented Apple’s first foray into the over-ear headphones market when they launched in 2020, having already taken the wireless earbud market by storm with the AirPods and AirPods Pro.
A sublime blend of reliable battery life, comfort, cinematic spatial audio, incredible sound quality and beautiful design made the Airpods Max the most popular headphones on the market. Even at the high-end price of £549.
However, in what is a little out of character for Apple, fans are still patiently waiting for the second generation Apple Airpods Max. Current rumors, though, suggest the wait may be over pretty soon.
When will Apple AirPods Max 2 arrive?
There are no concrete dates for when Apple fans can get their hands on the AirPods Max 2, but a few rumors are circulating that we might be able to expect a new Max edition in the latter stages of 2024.
That is according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who claimed earlier this year that a new edition of the AirPods Max is likely to launch alongside a newer, more affordable version of earbuds, which he believes is due later in 2024.
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The next-generation AirPods will likely begin mass shipments in 2H24 or 1H25, including more affordable AirPods (with Apple targeting a price of $99) and new AirPods Max, which will be assembled by Luxshare ICT and Hon Teng.— 郭明錤 (Ming-Chi Kuo) (@mingchikuo) January 12, 2023
Apple has a history of making us wait for AirPods Max releases, though. Before officially launching in December, it was expected they would debut a couple of months earlier alongside the launch of the iPhone 12. That didn’t happen due to “complications” and fans were made to wait a couple more months.
But a three-year wait for a fresh upgrade is unusual, which is fuelling rumors of an imminent announcement at some stage in 2024.
And that’s not all. Analyst Jeff Pu (reports MacRumors) claims we may see a pair of low-cost AirPods launching alongside the AirPods Max 2 later this year.
How will the Apple AirPods Max 2 look?
Whatever upgrades are in line for the Airpods Max 2, you can bet the overall design, look and feel will be sleek, comfortable and eye-catching. That’s what we’ve come to expect from Apple ever since the launch of the iMac G3 in 1998.
As we’re still relatively in the dark about the next edition of the Max, we’re having to rely on insider speculation to get a picture of what we might expect when they do eventually arrive.
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has fueled many of the rumors in this area with several comments in an October 2023 newsletter, in which he also echoes the views of Kuo regarding a potential release date. He mostly hints at new colors and the introduction of USB-C charging.
The color range
Firstly, there’s the color range. The Airpods Max is available in Silver, Blue, Space Grey, Pink and Green. Gurman believes an “AirPods Max refresh with new colors” is on the horizon. That has fuelled rumors that the tech giant are considering introducing Yellow, Orange and Purple to the range, while it’s also being whispered that a Product (Red) edition. Some believe the new colors may be in sync with those of the upcoming iPhone 16, which is also expected to debut later this year.
USB charging
Elsewhere, the rumored introduction of USB-C charging is arguably the least surprising rumor of all. Apple announced the USB-C connections on the new iPhone 15 and charging cases for the Airpods Pro 2 in December 2023, so it’s a reasonable assumption to make that it will be present in all Apple products in the future.
Touch controls
Meanwhile, there is talk that Apple is making changes to the Max’s control mechanism, moving closer towards touch controls instead of continuing with the existing Digital Crown. This may come as music to the ears (pun intended) to current Max owners who find themselves knocking the Digital Crown when adjusting them.
The carry case
And finally, on to the carry case. While the AirPods Max’s design wowed fans, their protective case has come under some criticism. Particularly for not being very protective. Thankfully, a patent uncovered in the summer of 2022, appears to suggest Apple is working on a more substantial and durable case that utilizes a magnetic clasp.
This points towards an actual case, as opposed to what can only be described as a wrap-around cover we have today.
What are the Apple Airpods Max 2 specs?
The first edition AirPods Max arrived packed with top-of-the-range specifications and features, including active noise-cancellation (ANC), adaptive EQ, spatial audio with dynamic head-tracking and two H1 Apple chips.
That’s quite a lot to live up to and improve on in a second edition, but rumors point towards Apple working on making several significant improvements.
Firstly, there are improvements to ANC, with a recent AirPods Max patent referring to “audio howl” detection, with Apple looking to improve on ways to better mitigate unwanted feedback that is typically created by ANC microphones.
Elsewhere, there are whispers that Apple might be working on a way to deliver wireless lossless audio via better-than-Bluetooth audio transmission technology. If true and, of course, if it’s included in the Max, this will likely revolutionize the quality of portable wireless audio.
There is currently no noise surrounding what chip the Airpods Max 2 will use, but we can make a reasonable assumption that the H2 chip might be introduced to replace the H1 chips in the first edition Max. The H2 chip is already incorporated in the Airpods Pro 2. That said, there a no guarantees.
Other rumored features include the new “Find My” feature, which will allow owners to locate their headphones via the use of their iPhone, and a likely IPX rating, which means the Airpods Max 2 will be more suited to wetter conditions, such as rain, splashes and even sweat, for those that use their cans in the gym.
How much will Apple AirPods Max 2 cost?
Eyebrows were raised when the first-generation Airpods Max launched with a hefty £549 price tag, but it still didn’t stop people rushing to buy them. They sold out almost instantly, with the waiting list peaking at around 14 weeks.
There is nothing on the rumor mill to suggest Apple will launch the second-generation Max at a lower price point, so we should still expect to pay a top-of-the-range fee for what is going to be a top-of-the-range product.
Some fans have expressed wishes for a cheaper model to be released alongside the new Max to give fans the option depending on their budget, which Apple has previous with when it comes to their iPhone, Macbook, iPad and Apple Watch ranges.
However, that’s just people expressing their wishes as opposed to a credible rumor at this stage.
Featured Image: Photo by Super Snapper on Unsplash.
