Apple announced the next iteration of the AirPods Max on March 16th, more than 5 years after the launch of the original AirPods Max with the H1 chip. The AirPods Max 2 comes with the H2 chip, the same chipset found on the AirPods Pro 2, AirPods Pro 3, and AirPods 4. This upgrade was long overdue, as Apple launched the H2 chip with the AirPods Pro 2 back in September of 2022. It also features Bluetooth 5.3, up from Bluetooth 5.0 on the first version. With the H2 chip upgrade, AirPods Max users can finally enjoy features like Adaptive Audio, Conversation Awareness, Personalized Volume, Loud Sound Reduction, Live Translation, and up to 1.5x more Active Noise Cancellation when compared to the original AirPods Max.
Similar to the USB-C variant of the original AirPods Max, users can listen to 24-bit, 48 kHz Lossless Audio by connecting it to their iPhone, iPad, or Mac with a USB-C cable. Using a cable instead of Bluetooth will also enable ultra-low latency audio for music production or gaming.
If you are looking to upgrade your AirPods Max or trying it out for the first time, pre-orders for the AirPods Max 2 are now live with the same starting price of $549 in a variety of color options, including Midnight, Starlight, Blue, Purple, and Orange. If ordered today, the estimated delivery dates fall between April 1st and April 3rd.
What are your thoughts on the AirPods Max 2? Is it worth the upgrade for your use case? Let us know in the comments or tweet us at @appleosophy. Be sure to download the Appleosophy App from the App Store or visit our website to stay updated with the latest Apple News and Deals!
