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Here’s what we know about the AirPods Max 2, We haven’t got much confirmed yet, but there are enough rumors floating about to start some semi-concrete speculation. We’re going to talk AirPods Max 2 release date, specs, design, and pricing here.
Since Apple’s AirPods kicked off the TWS (True Wireless) craze back in 2016, Apple has gone from strength to strength when it comes to audio, eventually releasing moving into full-size headphones with the original AirPod Max.
Well, it’s been almost 2 years since the release of the AirPods Max, so we’re certainly due a new model, so let’s have a look at what we might be looking forward to, maybe as soon as Q4 this year.
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Is AirPods Max 2 coming out?
Yes, almost certainly. It’s been almost 2 years since the original AirPods Max headphones were released, and while they didn’t sell as well as Apple might have liked, with sales dipping below 1 million units in 2021, a new product refresh might help boost numbers.
AirPods Max 2 release date prediction
Given Apple’s propensity for yearly product refreshes, It’s not surprising that the general opinion seems to be pointing toward the AirPods Max 2 arriving in Fall 2022.
Mark Gurman, Who runs the Power On newsletter, has said look out for an AirPods Max refresh with new colors (and, we hope, a price drop—$550 is absurd for those headphones).”
Considering this guy is trusted enough to have his own Apple rumors newsletter, we can put a reasonable amount of stock in this quote.
Additionally, it tallies up with Apple’s usual release/refresh rigamarole. We’ll know more closer to the date and will be keeping a weather eye on the AirPods horizon and keeping this page updated accordingly.
AirPods Max 2 potential price
The AirPods Max still retails at $549.00, which hasn’t changed since their launch two years ago, realistically speaking, we aren’t expecting anything other than an increased AirPods Max 2 price.
However, we’ve been surprised by apple before, so the AirPods Max 2 price could be identical to the Currently gen, or maybe even lower, but don’t hold your breath. We certainly aren’t holding ours.
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AirPods Max 2 expected specs
While the original AirPods Max reviewed very well, there can always be improvements, and we can tell that Apple is working towards improving the ANC (active noise cancelation) as they have been granted some patents relating to just that.
One of these patents relates to something known as ‘audio howl’. This is essentially a form of positive feedback loop which builds up until it’s audible as a subtle howling noise.
Given the patent application, we could see a decreased likelihood of this happening with the AirPods Max 2.
AirPods Max 2 power-off mode
One of the most limiting aspects of the original AirPods Max was the inability to switch them off without returning them to the weird bra/pouch case. The magnets in the case then tell the AirPods to go into ‘Ultra-low-power’ mode.
This is usually fine, but the only way to have them actually turn off is for them to run out of battery, which is unideal for those of you who don’t often charge them.
So, hopefully, the AirPods Max 2 will feature an actual off switch, however, with Apple’s predisposition to getting rid of I/O, its more likely to take the form of a combination of touch inputs.
AirPods Max 2 touch controls
A patent granted to Apple in 2019 has hinted to us that the AirPods Max 2 with have a full complement of touch controls, plus some other cool gesture/positional features too.
This will probably mean that the digital crown will not feature in the design of the AirPods Max 2. Instead, you can probably expect a mixture of swiping and tapping the outer shell of the headphones to control it.
Additionally, the patent mentions orientation control. This could mean that the music automatically pauses when the headphones are hung around the neck, or when one earcup is lifted away from the surface of the head.
AirPods Max 2 lossless audio
The main drawback to wireless headphones, whether they are 2.4GHz or Bluetooth, is lossy audio. Essentially, there just isn’t enough bandwidth as it stands to wirelessly transmit audio without a loss in quality.
According to a patent held by Apple, they are supposedly working on a new connection protocol to wireless transmit audio without a loss in fidelity. This tallies up with Apple Music as it natively supports lossless audio, but in a world where everyone wants to be rid of wires, what’s the point if Bluetooth is going to strip the audio bare anyway?
This means that the AirPods Max2 could introduce yet another wireless protocol, and if it does turn out to be lossless, then it would be a huge win for apple as Lossless audio players are expensive and not typically wireless.
This could turn the current generation iPhones into an audio powerhouse, if you’ve got the money that is, as this feature will probably only make its way to the higher-end Apple headphones, like the AirPods Max 2.
AirPods Max case
We’ve also heard from Patently Apple that Apple is working on new and improved AirPods Max 2 case. This will be a relief for those of you who didn’t like the bra-style case of the original AirPods Max.
It looks to be a big improvement from the previous gen, at least from what we can tell from this image. The most notable change is the fact that it entirely encloses the headphones, instead of letting the headband hang out.
This could be a great change as the previous carry case was very elegant but offered very substandard protection. The new AirPods Max 2 case looks far more protective, though it could be a little bulky.
We hope to see the retention of the smart features from the weird case, too, but hopefully with some additions. The magnets that put the headphones into ultra-low power mode are all well and good, but they could do more.
How about taking a leaf out of the AirPods’ book? With a more robust case, the AirPods Max2 case could be fitted with an inductive charging coil.
This means the case would be able to top up the headphones’ battery when stowed away, which would combine with the ultra-low power mode to rapidly charge the battery.
Are AirPods Max selling well?
Yes, but not nearly as much as you’d expect, With sales number below 1 million the original AirPods Max didn’t prove to be the audio tour de force of profit.
Reasons for this might be the very stiff competition from brands like Sennheiser, Sony, and Bose. Additionally, the ~$500 price is pretty hard to swallow, even for the most stalwart apple fans.
AirPods Max 2 design
While we don’t know anything for sure, Apple appears to be embracing a wide swathe of colorways for its new products.
So, even if we don’t see a new shape or overall design, we are almost certain to see an increased number of available colors. This should definitely be a priority for Apple as recent iPhones, iPads, etc have seen a wider variety of colorways than we ever got from the Airpods Max.
However, don’t count a new design out just yet, as Apple has been slowly squaring off its products, with the new iPhone and rumored Apple Watch Series 8 all having their corners cut.
So it’s certainly possible, but it might be a tricky design challenge as no one wants to look like Lobot from The Empire Strikes Back.
One thing we can be sure of is the retention of the digital crown. This was first implemented on the Apple Watch. It then appears as the primary control input on the Original AirPods Max.
Given the very positive reception of the AirPods Max for their intuitive and simple controls, we expect Apple to avoid changing these aspects up too much and instead concentrate on refining other aspects of the design.
When did Apple release AirPods Max?
the AirPods Max was announced on December 8, via an unannounced website page change, with the full release on December 5.
The headphones themselves were received well, aside from the somewhat extortionate $550 price tag, whereas the AirPods Max carrying case received a lot of criticism for its resemblance to a bra and its lack of protective capabilities.
Are AirPods Max still worth it?
Well, we don’t think so. The AirPods Max is a great pair of headphones, but the price-to-performance ratio just isn’t what we want to see. Noticeably better headphones are available for significantly cheaper, like the Sony WH-1000XM5, for example.
Will AirPods Max 2 work with Android?
Almost Certainly. The AirPods Max 2 will be Bluetooth-equipped, just like the previous version. Despite talk of Apple’s upcoming proprietary wireless audio codec, they won’t abandon Bluetooth as it’s too ubiquitous.
This means that the AirPods Max 2 will work with android, but you almost certainly won’t be able to experience all the features unless you’re using an iPhone.
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