The new AirPods Pro, despite featuring an all-new H2 chip and improved audio quality, do not appear to include support for lossless Apple Music audio.
The H2 chip is the successor to the previous H1 chip and delivers new features like improved Active Noise Cancellation, an improved Transparency mode, and better sound overall. One rumored new capability of the new chip was that it would support lossless Apple Music, but Apple's press release and tech specs page for the new AirPods Pro do not mention any lossless audio support, which seemingly rules out the capability.
We've asked Apple for more information regarding lossless audio support for the new AirPods Pro and will update this story if we hear back.
The new AirPods Pro do support Bluetooth 5.3, and while that standard does not directly support lossless audio, chip companies like Qualcomm have been moving in that direction. As of now, though, there is no indication that Apple has adopted it yet.
Regardless, the new AirPods Pro feature several new features, including improved audio, longer battery life, and a redesigned charging case. Priced at $249, the new AirPods Pro will be available to order starting September 9 and launch September 23.
Tuesday January 28, 2025 11:48 am PST by Joe Rossignol
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices.
iPhone 17 Pro concept based on rumors
Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of January 2025:
More aluminum: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models ...
Monday January 27, 2025 11:17 am PST by Juli Clover
Apple regularly releases new firmware for the AirPods, AirPods Pro, and AirPods Max, but the company has historically provided limited information on how to initiate an update. That changed today, and Apple updated its AirPods firmware support page with more specific instructions.
Prior to today, here's what Apple said on the subject:
Firmware updates are delivered automatically while your...
Monday January 27, 2025 10:00 am PST by Juli Clover
Apple today released tvOS 18.3, the newest version of the tvOS 18 operating system that came out in September. tvOS 18.3 comes more than a month after Apple released tvOS 18.2, and it is available for the Apple TV 4K and the Apple TV HD models.
tvOS 18.3 can be downloaded using the Settings app on the Apple TV. Open up Settings and go to System > Software Update to get the new software....
Monday January 27, 2025 4:25 am PST by Tim Hardwick
Apple in October 2024 overhauled its 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models, adding M4, M4 Pro, and M4 Max chips, Thunderbolt 5 ports on higher-end models, display changes, and more. That's quite a lot of updates in one go, but if you think this means a further major refresh for the MacBook Pro is now several years away, think again.
Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has said he expects only a small...
Today we're tracking a few iPad discounts on Amazon, including the new iPad mini 7, M2 iPad Air, and M4 iPad Pro. These deals include multiple all-time low prices on Apple's tablets, matching the prices we tracked over the holiday season in many cases.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us...
Wednesday January 29, 2025 4:00 am PST by Tim Hardwick
This year, Apple is expected to discontinue the iPhone "Plus" device in its iPhone 17 lineup to make way for an iPhone "Air," so-called because of its thin profile.
Below is a compilation of every rumor and leak we have registered from reputable sources thus far about Apple's new entry in its flagship smartphone lineup.
iPhone 17 "Air"?
About the Name
There has been some uncertainty...
Tuesday January 28, 2025 1:49 pm PST by Juli Clover
The upcoming iPhone SE 4 will feature a notch instead of the Dynamic Island, respected display analyst Ross Young said today. The device will have a "notch like the iPhone 14," according to Young, which contradicts a recent leak that depicted a Dynamic Island.
Earlier this month, leaker Evan Blass shared images said to feature the iPhone SE 4's design, but those images featured an iPhone...
You don't need lossless audio in £170 in ear buds - you can't hear the difference. You can't hear the difference on a £10,000 mastering studio setup with golden ears, it's been proven time and time again by the worlds best ears. No one here has the worlds best ears, despite what placebo they think - the upgrades to the drivers and processing are much much much more important and impactful.
If they tell you otherwise, they're wrong.
Edit - click disagree all you want, you're wrong - scientifically proven to be wrong, no ifs, no buts, no opinions, you're wrong, end of.
You don't need lossless audio in £170 in ear buds - you can't hear the difference. You can't hear the difference on a £10,000 mastering studio setup with golden ears, it's been proven time and time again by the worlds best ears. No one here has the worlds best ears, despite what placebo they think - the upgrades to the drivers and processing are much much much more important and impactful.
If they tell you otherwise, they're wrong.
Edit - click disagree all you want, you're wrong - scientifically proven to be wrong, no ifs, no buts, no opinions, you're wrong, end of.
With all due respect; what kind of cut-rate mastering studio has a $10,000 setup? They wouldn’t be fit to master my iPhone voice memos, let alone a commercial release. I’ve had mastering sessions with some of the best engineers, at some of the best mastering studios on the planet, such as Sterling Sound and Abbey Road… they have singular pieces of equipment that surpass $10K (ever check what a VMS-80 goes for these days? Or for that matter, what they sold for 40 years ago? You don’t even have to account for inflation) let alone having an entire system that amounts to that much. And for what it’s worth, any professional I’ve ever worked with would strongly disagree with your assessment of lossless audio.
Not that any of this matters of course, because it doesn’t take a $10K setup to be able to distinguish between lossless and lossy compression. It just takes some listening acuity. Tin ears need not apply.
You seem to be very offended by people who strive for better. I’m not sure how anyone wanting lossless affects you, unless you’re on the Fraunhofer payroll? You’re more than free to continue enjoying all the lossy compression you like.
Hearing "lossless audio" from a tiny driver packed into a pinky sized device is physically impossible.
Tell me that you don’t even understand what lossless audio is without telling me that you don’t even understand what lossless audio is
Over 90% of people would not be able to distinguish lossless from iTunes Plus tracks with ideal equipment. Using earbuds? Probably even less.
100% of people no one has EVER done it, in any blind A/B study, EVER.
Yet Joe Blogs on the Mac Rumors forum and some nutty audiophile who were buying devices that shaved the edges of CDs back in the 90's thinks they can hear the difference, so make of that what you will ?
