AirPods Max 2: What Rumors Say Ahead of the Apple Event Next Month

It has been nearly four years since Apple released the AirPods Max, so an update to the over-ear headphones is highly anticipated.

Airpods Max Feature Blue
Below, we recap the latest rumors about the AirPods Max.

As a refresher, Apple released the AirPods Max in December 2020, after announcing them in a press release shared on the Apple Newsroom website. The headphones have not received any hardware upgrades since, leading some customers to hold off on their purchase and hope that Apple will eventually release AirPods Max 2.

Unfortunately, rumors suggest that AirPods Max 2 are not coming any time soon, with only minor revisions expected for the headphones later this year.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman previously reported that Apple is planning to update the AirPods Max in late 2024 with a USB-C charging port, instead of the current Lightning port, and he said new color options are also a possibility for the headphones. Beyond that, Gurman said Apple is planning no other changes for the revised AirPods Max, to the point that he expects the updated headphones to still be considered first-generation AirPods Max.

If the information shared by Gurman is accurate, that means the AirPods Max would not be updated with the H2 chip that debuted in the second-generation AirPods Pro a few years ago. As a result, the AirPods Max would miss out on Adaptive Audio features, along with longer battery life afforded by the H2 chip's increased power efficiency.

In the event Apple ever does release AirPods Max 2, plausible upgrades include the H2 chip, longer battery life, improved active noise cancellation, a second-generation Ultra Wideband chip with support for Precision Finding in the Find My app, Bluetooth 5.3, and a redesigned carrying case.

Gurman said the AirPods Max would be updated in late 2024, but it is unclear exactly when. Apple recently announced that it will be holding a media event on September 9, where it is expected to unveil fourth-generation AirPods alongside new iPhones and Apple Watches, but it is unclear if the revised AirPods Max will also be introduced then.

AirPods Max are regularly $549 in the U.S., but Amazon has the headphones on sale for $399 in all color options, including Green, Pink, Silver, Sky Blue, and Space Gray.

Related Roundup: AirPods Max
Buyer's Guide: AirPods Max (Buy Now)
Related Forum: AirPods

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Top Rated Comments

Duncan-UK Avatar
7 months ago
How can they surpass the design of the original case. They totally raised the bra with that one.
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BelgianChoklit Avatar
7 months ago
I think the AirPods Max is the most overpriced product in Apple's lineup.

iTried them many times during Apple Store visits and they're really nice. But just not worth Apple's 579€ asking price.

I think they should upgrade them with lossless audio, latest bluetooth version, better boise cancellation and USB-C and release them for 350-400€ tops or discontinue them. The current version is suffering from HomePod 1st gen syndrome.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sw1tcher Avatar
7 months ago

I think the AirPods Max is the most overpriced product in Apple's lineup.
More overpriced than the $999 Pro Stand ('https://www.apple.com/shop/product/MWUG2LL/A/pro-stand?fnode=a93c8c6fdb883a124564207c48783b748ab258e23662e6ed422bb11a8d4d3fc673042d490252f03789d0e3db04532ca51d7a2df37caf994199cae3192d98d2be4a2d62a2fd23962acdca3ae83ca351ccbce3d081b7d111c65976dcbb31d292c541d8747fb0c66507a2a3848439d77312') or the $699 Mac Pro Wheels ('https://www.apple.com/shop/product/MX572ZM/A/apple-mac-pro-wheels-kit?fnode=a93c8c6fdb883a124564207c48783b748ab258e23662e6ed422bb11a8d4d3fc673042d490252f03789d0e3db04532ca51d7a2df37caf994199cae3192d98d2be4a2d62a2fd23962acdca3ae83ca351ccbce3d081b7d111c65976dcbb31d292c541d8747fb0c66507a2a3848439d77312')?
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sw1tcher Avatar
7 months ago

If the information shared by Gurman is accurate, that means the AirPods Max would not be updated with the H2 chip that debuted in the second-generation AirPods Pro a few years ago. As a result, the AirPods Max would miss out on Adaptive Audio features, along with longer battery life afforded by the H2 chip's increased power efficiency.

Not updating to the H2 seems like a stretch
If the AirPods Pro 3 are getting an H3 chip ('https://www.macrumors.com/guide/airpods-pro-3/'),

Updated Chip

The ‌AirPods Pro‌ 2 use the H2 chip, and the next-generation version of the ‌AirPods Pro‌ are expected to get an even faster chip, which Apple could call the H3 if it sticks with that naming scheme.

The current H2 chip powers everything from Active Noise Cancellation to Hey Siri, fast switching, and Adaptive EQ, so the H-series chips are key to AirPods functionality. The H3 chip's processing power could be important for health-related features rumored for the ‌AirPods Pro‌.


then wouldn't it make sense for the AirPods Max to also get an H3 chip?
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
whsbuss Avatar
7 months ago
I can’t believe Apple would not include the H2 chip. I have the AirPods Pro 2 and if a Max 2 didn’t have similar features I would decline getting it.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
freedomlinux Avatar
7 months ago
I'm not confident there is enough volume in AirPods Max to justify the engineering effort. At the same time, the USB-C conversion is overdue.

Doing a minor revision, without making a true 2nd-gen with the H2 chip, would feel very un-premium for a premium-priced $550 device.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)