Kuo: AirPods Max 2 Not Coming Until Second Half of 2024 at the Earliest

Apple will not launch a second-generation AirPods Max until at least the second half of next year, and could possibly wait until the first half of 2025 to refresh the headphones, according to Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

airpods max spring blue
In his latest series of tweets outlining industry expectations, Kuo said he believes Apple's "next important acoustic product refresh time" will be between the second half of 2024 and the first half of 2025. Kuo lists three products due for a refresh in this window of time, including a second-generation HomePod mini, ‌AirPods Max‌ 2, and a "low-cost version" of Apple's AirPods.

As for what we can expect in AriPods Max 2, Kuo did not offer any additional details about Apple's premium over-ear noise canceling headphones, although features that would make sense for the next-generation pair include a USB-C port instead of Lightning, improved noise cancelation, longer battery life, new color options, a U1 chip for Precision Finding in the Find My app, and more. ‌AirPods Max‌ were first released in December 2020 for $549.

In a previous prediction, Kuo said that Apple is aiming for a $99 price for the more affordable standard AirPods. Currently, the $129 second-generation AirPods are the cheapest option from Apple, while the third-generation AirPods are priced at $169 with a Lightning charging case and at $179 with a MagSafe case. Analyst Jeff Pu has also predicted the arrival of lower-priced AirPods next year.

Related Roundups: AirPods 4, AirPods Max
Related Forum: AirPods

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Top Rated Comments

iRun26.2 Avatar
23 months ago
At least they are still are talking about refreshing them. My first pair is the my favorite Apple product ever!
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
boss.king Avatar
23 months ago
Who’s excited to overpay for headphones again?
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Mat.Rynio Avatar
23 months ago
AirPods Max don't need refresh imo but its charging case? Hell yes.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
icanhazapple Avatar
23 months ago
USB C and U1 and I'd buy a pair.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
tgt Avatar
23 months ago

Yeah but the biggest issue I have with any headphones and those hideous things you stick in your ears. None of them have separate controls for volume between the left and right side. I gave up years ago when my old off brand headphones died from the 1980's which had separate volume controls for each ear.

I have a 80% hearing loss in the left ear and cannot use air pods or the headphones as it confuses me when the stereo separation happens to music. I know I missed something. I just want separate controls of the volume to listen to music. Everybody talks the accessibility but then I bought this up for the past 10 years and you can guess it is like talking me on the left side with out my hearing aid.
I'm not sure whether any will help, but Settings -> Accessibility -> Audio/Visual has Headphone Accommodations (for supported headphones), Mono Audio and Balance.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
daanodinot Avatar
23 months ago

This is very sad and depressing news for me ?

All Apple need to change on the AirPods Max is to switch the port to USB-C, and design an improved travel case. That's it. Why is everything taking so long? What's going on at Apple Engineering these days?

I really want the AirPod Max but won't be buying the current version with it's annoying and soon-to-be-obsolete Lightning port.
Just buy them (used). Life's too short to wait another two years for the next improvements.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)