Apple AirPods Max 2 expected release date, price, features, and news
It's been three years since Apple released the AirPods Max — the premium tier over-ear wireless cans that introduced us to the world of Spatial Audio and actually got people across the world to spend $500 on headphones.
We've been wondering when (and whether) we will be seeing a next model — a set of AirPods Max 2. But Apple has been mum, leaksters and analysts have nothing to say, and it seems like it won't be any time soon.
Apple does take its time when it comes to updating its audio devices — it took three years for the AirPods Pro 2 to come out and replace the original AirPods Pro. And that makes good sense — if the earphones sound good, why rush to develop, design, and build newer models?
Apple event update: Well, folks, it seems that Apple does believe that the AirPods Max are perfect as they are. We saw no AirPods Max 2 — instead, Apple announced a soft relaunch of the original AirPods Max. They now come with a USB Type-C Port and new colors. Nothing else was changed. Are we disappointed? No... But does that mean that we won't be seeing new Maxes in the next 3-4 years?
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AirPods Max 2 rumored release date
Despite the community already having a wishlist for the AirPods Max 2 and everyone staying at the edge of their seats, there aren't many indicators that we may see AirPods Max 2 any time soon. The only report on a possible release so far states that the next high-end Apple over-ears may come out as late as 2025.
Now that Apple has soft-rebooted the original AirPods Max, we kind of wonder if a 2025 launch for a successor would be viable. It would certainly annoy consumers, if they go out to buy a brand-new set of AirPods Max USB-C right now, only to see a new model released in 9 months or something. And, believe it or not, Apple has shown that it prefers to not cross that line before — the iPad Pro from 2020 got Stage Manager even if it didn't have an M-class chip. It wasn't going to get that particular software feature, but consumers complained that their purchase is still fresh, and it would be an unfair move.
OK, granted — if you catch them, they are sorry. But Apple's been learning their lesson.
So, tangents aside — we think that AirPods Max 2 may happen in late 2024, but are more inclined to believe they've been pushed to late 2025 or 2026.
| Device | Release date |
|---|---|
| AirPods Pro | October, 2019 |
| AirPods Pro 2 | September, 2022 |
| AirPods Max | December, 2020 |
| AirPods Max 2 | 2025-2026* |
*Unknown
AirPods Max 2 expected price
The original AirPods Max have an MSRP of $549, which is often dropped by $50 at various retailers. If the AirPods Max 2 do come out with a higher price tag than that, this could be due to inflation, but — at the moment — we don't think Apple will look to increase the price of a product that's already considered quite expensive. Unless the AirPods Max 2 get some massive new feature that we can't foresee at the moment.
The recent relaunch of the OG AirPods Max with USB Type-C shows that Apple isn't quick to increase price due to inflation. They are still $549.
- AirPods Max - $549
- AirPods Max 2 expectation - $549
AirPods Max 2 expected design
AirPods Max 2020 (Image credit - PhoneArena)
The original AirPods Max are among the best-designed wireless over-ears out there. The spacious cups are easy to replace, the hardware controls are tactile and minimalistic, the headband adjustment mechanism is smooth yet robust.
We imagine Apple may attempt to address some of the complaints about the original unit — that it's a bit too heavy and that the hardware control positions are annoying for some users. But other than that, we do think that the design will mostly remain the same.
If we were to make a wish list, we would definitely like Apple to rethink the transportation aspect — the "diaper case" for the AirPods Max is universally disliked. Also, replacing the Lightning port for USB C and — please, please, please — an integrated jack for cable connection would go a long way.
AirPods Max 2 expected battery
If we are to assume that Apple will avoid adding any more weight to the AirPods Max 2, then a bigger battery is probably out of the question. So the same 20-ish hours of battery life is what we expect to see.
AirPods Max 2 possible features and specs
If the there is a warranted upgrade for the AirPods Max incoming, we could very well see new drivers inside. The originals have Apple-designed dynamic drivers that produce crystal clear sounds with minimum distortion, but it's possible that Apple could tune them further.
We also expect an improvement of noise cancellation. Some will remember that the AirPods Max launched with absolutely incredible noise-reduction capabilities and an excellent Transparency Mode. The latter is still intact and while the former is still very, very good, some users noticed that it got worse after a specific patch.
It is unknown why the original AirPods Max's noise cancellation got worse, but it has been rumored that there was a patent dispute that forced Apple away from using some specific tech.
Controls on AirPods Max 2020 (Image credit - PhoneArena)
So, the AirPods Pro 2 launched with their own improved noise cancellation and we expect that a potential AirPods Max 2 product will also come with its own Apple-tuned noise algorithms and tech.
As for sound — we can't know if Apple plans another industry-disrupter like Spatial Audio. Probably not, but this new tech still has a lot to be upgraded about it, so maybe sound quality and response improvements when Head Tracking is on.
Should I wait for the AirPods Max 2?
Seeing as we don't expect them any time soon, the answer to this question is easy — the AirPods Max are still great headphones that have an excellent sound and integrate with the Apple ecosystem beautifully.
- You should wait for AirPods Max 2 if you are in no hurry of getting a new pair of wireless over-ear headphones.
- You should not wait for AirPods Max 2 if you find a great discount on the original AirPods Max (lowest price we have seen on them to date is $429 — use that as a benchmark).
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