This week, Apple finally unveiled the proper successor to its original over-ear headphones: AirPods Max 2. Powered by the H2 chip, the new model brings significantly improved active noise cancellation (up to 1.5x more effective), enhanced sound quality, and intelligent features like Adaptive Audio, Conversation Awareness, Voice Isolation, and Live Translation—features that were previously absent from the lineup.
If you’re considering an upgrade from the 2020 originals (or debating whether to buy now), keep in mind that another iteration could arrive sooner than you think. Last spring, reliable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported that Apple is developing a lighter-weight version of AirPods Max, slated to enter mass production in 2027. This suggests a more substantial redesign focused on reducing the headphones’ notable heft could follow relatively soon after the current refresh.
Ryan Christoffel for 9to5Mac:
It’s always possible Apple’s timeline has been pushed back. But since AirPods Max 2 don’t change anything about the design, it seems plausible that a new ‘AirPods Max 3’ model could still be planned for next year with a design refresh.
It would be unusual for Apple to have another AirPods Max model ready so soon. But the company is also expected to launch a high-end AirPods Pro model this year, even though AirPods Pro 3 just arrived last fall.
MacDailyNews Take: Life’s too short to wait 18 months or so for a rumor to materialize. That’d be 18 months of missing out on AirPods Max goodness!
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