AirPods Max 2: release date rumours, potential price, features and spec leaks
It's not often a pair of headphones creates a whole new market, but that's just what the AirPods Max achieved in 2020. Before then, the most premium wireless headphones were made by Sony and Bose and cost under £400 / $400 / AU$500. Then along came Apple with no prior experience and its outrageous price tag of £549 / $549 / AU$899 (plus a five-star rating from us, which can't have hurt). And wouldn't you know, other brands followed suit.
Now we have the B&W Px8, Mark Levinson No. 5909 and Focal Bathys. All fine headphones, none of which would exist without the AirPods Max.
But 2020 was a long time ago. While the Max's influence continues to be felt, other models have since overtaken them, whether it's the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones' superb noise cancellation, or the Mark Levinson No. 5909's audiophile-grade sound quality. So what does Apple have up its sleeve?
Here we've rounded up the latest (and most credible) rumours and offered a few ideas on how Apple can keep its space among the creme-de-la-creme in the current market.
Surely, a sequel is destined to be unveiled soon...
Read our full Apple AirPods Max review
What to expect from Apple in 2024 – iPhone 16, AirPods 4, new iPads and more
AirPods Max 2: release date rumours
Later this year or early next, according to reliable Apple analysts
Could appear during the iPhone 16 launch in September
Unlike other AirPods, there's only ever been one model of AirPods Max. So without a release schedule to act as a guide, it's tricky to estimate when the next model might launch. But there are a few rumours.
Our best bet comes courtesy of remarks by respected Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who suggested a new Max model will arrive in either the second half of 2024 or ship in early 2025. If true, that will mark four years since the original model – more than a lifetime in the headphones market.
A recent Bloomberg report from Mark Gurman contradicts this, saying Apple will only launch two mid-range to budget models of AirPods in 2024 – the AirPods 4 and AirPods Lite. Which would leave both the AirPods Pro 3 and AirPods Max 2 until 2025.
However, no report is guaranteed 100 per cent accurate, and even the most feted of Apple soothsayers contradict themselves sometimes. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman previously said that as part of Apple's new AirPods product roadmap, the AirPods Max would surface in late 2024, in not only new colourways but with USB-C charging too (the standard that Apple has been forced to adopt by the EU).
Apple kept us waiting for the original AirPods Max: they were expected to debut alongside the iPhone 12, which launched on 12th October 2020, but "complications" in the design and manufacturing process put paid to that. Instead, the AirPods Max were finally unveiled on Tuesday 8th December, before going on sale on Tuesday 15th December 2020.
Given that Apple replaced the AirPods 2 wireless earbuds with the AirPods 3 after just a couple of years, there was, reasonably, talk of an AirPods Max update in 2022. It turns out Apple will keep us waiting a lot longer...
AirPods Max 2: price predictions
Expected to arrive at a similar price to the originals
Slim rumours they will be more affordable
The first-generation AirPods Max hit shelves at £549 / $549 / AU$899. That was more expensive than we'd hoped – and even imagined – but it didn't seem to matter. Indeed, the AirPods Max sold out almost instantly. At one point, the waiting list ballooned to 12 to 14 weeks. That's Apple customers for you!
Amazon, John Lewis, Walmart and other Apple sellers have plenty in stock right now, but Apple's high-end headphones remain in high demand, not least as they have shed some pounds/dollars as sales periods have rolled around. We've seen the premium cans fall to around £449 / $449 / AU$799 before. On that, we've listed today's best AirPods Max deals just below.
So will the AirPods Max 2 follow suit? There are no credible AirPods Max 2 price leaks just yet, but Apple was the first brand to position a pair of wireless headphones at such a high price point, a significant step above the 'premium' pairs like the Award-winning Sony WH-1000XM5. It gave the green light to other brands to release high-end models, such as the five-star Bowers & Wilkins Px8, Focal Bathys, Mark Levinson No. 5905. Bose has recently launched the QuietComfort Ultra Headphones at £450/$429/AU$649, too.
We imagine the Max 2 will stick to a similar price as the originals, with Apple no doubt wanting to continue to play in the high-end playground.
Some rumours, however, suggest that the new AirPods Max could be cheaper than the originals due to concerns that the first generation was priced too highly. Some have speculated that Apple could drop the cost for the second generation to $449, but considering that the AirPods Max sold so well even with that hefty price tag, this could be borne more out of hope than genuine expectation. We would rather bet on Apple adding a second, lower-cost model to its over-ear lineup than lowering the Max's price. AirPods Max Lite, or AirPods Max SE, anyone?
Apple AirPods Max 2: design
New colourways and USB-C port strongly rumoured
Redesigned case is expected
Gesture or touch-based controls suggested
Apple is renowned for its sleek designs, but it really pulled out all the stops for its first pair of over-ears. From its pristine anodised aluminium ear cups to its perfectly weighted steel headband, the AirPods Max makes some of the best wireless headphones feel cheap by comparison.
Since their launch, the AirPods Max have been available in five finishes: Silver, Blue, Space Gray, Pink and Green (similar to the 2021 iMac Pro lineup). Mark Gurman reckons an "AirPods Max refresh with new colours" could be on the way for the 2024/2025 release, most likely to coincide with any new colours that Apple is introducing across its iPhone 16 range.
There's no word on which colours Apple will pick, but we've heard whispers that the tech giant could opt for the remaining three colours in the 2021 iMac Pro lineup (Yellow, Orange and Purple, naturally). There are even rumours of an 'AirPods Max 2 Product (RED)' edition, which would certainly be a bold look. Whether Apple goes down the sombre, neutral colours of Sony or continues offering shiny pastel colours remains to be seen – we certainly like having the option of so many colours for an AirPods model.
As Apple moves away from its proprietary Lightning connections towards the more universal USB-C, the one rumour we can be certain of is that a USB-C charging/audio port will appear on the AirPods Max 2. During the 2023 September Apple Event, the company announced that USB-C connections featured on the iPhone 15 as well as new charging cases for the AirPods Pro 2, which only strengthens the idea that USB-C is the new standard for Apple products going forward.
Elsewhere, there's talk of Apple tweaking the cans' control mechanism. According to Patently Apple, the Cupertino brand is attempting to perfect a set of gesture-based touch controls to replace the Digital Crown. We found the Crown to be a neat solution, but it's a little too easy to knock when adjusting the headphones.
Lastly, there is strong speculation that Apple plans to rejig the Apple AirPods Max carry case, which has been rather humorously compared to a bra or a gun holster. Not only does it look strange, but we think it does a poor job of protecting the headphones from knocks, scratches and dirt as it doesn't even cover the whole product. Ramping up the protection for what is a very expensive piece of tech should certainly be a priority next time around.
Thankfully, an Apple patent uncovered in July 2022 seems to suggest that Apple is working on a far more substantial case that snaps shut using a series of "magnetic clasps". Sounds like a no-brainer to us.
Our expert pick of the best AirPods Max alternatives
Apple AirPods Max 2: specs and features leaks
Lossless audio quality desired but not highly expected
Adaptive Audio and improved ANC rumoured
New chip, "Find My" feature and waterproofing on the wishlist
With such a high launch price, the original AirPods Max needed to deliver a lot. Thankfully, they did. Features include active noise-cancellation (ANC), two Apple H1 chips capable of adjusting their processing up to 200 times a second, Adaptive EQ to tune playback, plus support for spatial audio with dynamic head-tracking. Impressive. But there's a 'but'...
When Apple added lossless audio quality tracks to Apple Music in mid-2021, it emerged that none of the company's AirPods, including the Max, could deliver lossless audio wirelessly. Not even over the Max's wired connection. You'd like to think the AirPods Max 2 could rectify the issue, though no rumours of yet suggest they will.
That said, Patently Apple suggests Apple could be working on new better-than-Bluetooth optical audio transmission technology that would enable wireless lossless audio. That would be a big evolutionary step for portable wireless audio.
Apple recently announced a new "groundbreaking wireless audio protocol" that "unlocks powerful 20-bit/48kHz Lossless Audio" in the AirPods Pro 2, although this only works when the Pro 2 (USB-C charging model) is connected to the imminent Apple Vision Pro headset. If wi-fi headphones are where gains in wireless sound quality are possible instead of the restricted Bluetooth, this could be the path that Apple takes in the future if it's serious about higher-quality audio.
Apple is also said to be sprucing up its active noise-cancelling technology. In February 2022, the folks at Patently Apple revealed an interesting AirPods Max patent that covers the detection of "audio howl" (unwanted feedback created by noise-cancelling microphones). Apparently, Apple is working on a better way to detect and mitigate this interference, which could result in a more natural noise-blocking experience.
It will be interesting to see which chip the AirPods Max 2 incorporates when it finally arrives. The original Max use the H1 chip, whereas the AirPods Pro 2 are equipped with the upgraded H2. According to Forbes, there's a chance of a switch to H2 for the second generation of the AirPods Max, even if this becomes less likely when you consider the design upheaval involved in integrating a new chip. An even newer chip (H3?) will usually allow for better noise-cancelling, better battery life, better audio and better computational power – improvements that will be welcomed across the entire AirPods line.
Apple also announced a new Adaptive Audio mode at WWDC 2023. This is a hybrid listening experience that gives you a mix of transparency mode and ANC to provide the best of both listening technologies in one place. But surprisingly, it's only coming to the AirPods Pro 2, not the AirPods Max. Could Apple be keeping it back for the AirPods Max 2? It's a distinct possibility.
There's also talk of a new "Find My" feature, as featured in recent iPhone models. This would keep track of where your cans are, allowing you to pinpoint their exact location when they go walkabout and you're fretting you've just left hundreds' worth of headphones in a gym locker room.
Speaking of the gym, getting hot and sweaty shouldn't damage your Max 2 cans too badly, with rumours indicating a likely IPX4 rating is incoming (currently there's no official IP rating for the Max). That should be more than enough for dealing with drizzly conditions, splashes/sweat and dust ingress. Nice.
AirPods Max 2 wishlist: 4 features we'd like to see
That's about it on the rumours front, but here are four other features we'd like to see on the AirPods Max 2:
1. Better battery life
AirPods Max battery life is "up to 20 hours" with noise cancellation and spatial audio enabled. That's plenty for a commute or five, but significantly less than you get from the class-leading Sony WH-1000XM5, which offer 30 hours, and the five-star Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless, which manage a staggering 60 hours.
2. Wired listening when the battery is dead
If you want to use the AirPods Max in a wired capacity, the only way to do so is with the optional £35 / $35 / AU$55 Lightning-to-3.5mm cable. Even then, the AirPods Max won’t work in passive mode: if the battery’s dead, the headphones are useless. Not ideal if you're stuck on a plane at 30,000 feet. Apple was the one guilty of killing the 3.5mm headphone jack in smartphones (from the iPhone 7) in the first place so we may not see this appear any time soon, but we can hope for a way to listen to these headphones in passive, wired mode. We imagine a USB-C-to-3.5mm adapter will be included in the Max 2 (when it replaces the Lightning connector), but any other way of listening to music wired when the battery is dead would be a bonus.
3. Improved Android support
Unsurprisingly, you need an iPhone or iPad in order to get the most out of the AirPods Max. Sure, they'll work with non-Apple products using standard Bluetooth 5.0, but you’ll miss out on almost all of the unique iOS features such as spatial audio with head-tracking, conversation mode, adaptive audio, audio sharing and more. Don't hold your breath on this one, but better Android support would certainly widen the appeal of the AirPods Max 2.
4. Foldable design
A better battery case is technically the #1 requested feature from team What Hi-Fi?, but a design that's also foldable would do wonders when it comes to portability. We imagine Apple's design team might disagree, but a folded design that can be packed into a more sensible and protective carry case would be valuable for high-end headphones.
Apple AirPods Max 2: early thoughts
If you're a keen Apple user and have the funds to pay for a premium listening experience, the AirPods Max are arguably the very best noise-cancelling headphones you can buy. In our time with the headphones, we find the build quality is second to none, the sonics are superb, and the comfort is exceptional.
If the AirPods Max 2 can address a few of our (fairly minor) gripes – like replacing the near-pointless case and offering lossless audio – along with bumps to sound quality, battery life and noise-cancelling to compete with new formidable rivals, Apple's second-generation over-ears could too cement their place in headphone history.
With any luck, we'll have more concrete information on the upcoming AirPods Max 2 in the run-up to their release – and we'll update this page as more rumours emerge until then.
MORE:
The best AirPods Max alternatives to consider
How do they stack up against the competition? Read our AirPods Max vs Sony WH-1000XM5 comparison piece
And AirPods Max vs Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones
Not to mention AirPods Max vs B&W Px8
Read our Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max review
The best AirPods ranked and rated
