AirPods Max 2: Everything We Know One Year After the High-End Headphones Launched

[guzhogi]

I agree with you!

The problem is .... no amount of money ever seems to be "enough", particularly with mega-corps and investors who just want more and more .... and then some more on top of the more..

I find that I'm growing more & stronger moderate as I age. Like I said before, make enough money to cover costs, with enough profits to improve & grow the company. Enough so that employees can work there full time and enrich themselves, but keep costs down enough so that the "little people" can still afford the products.

 

[djplong]

Ditch the Lightning port for a USB-C and I'd actually consider it. The last Lighting-only piece of hardware I bought was my iPhone 12 Pro Max. At least my AirPod Pro cases take Qi wireless charging.

 

[chaospet]

Hmmm, I just realised I have never seen a single person ever wearing one! Not ever! AirPods are everywhere though.

They’re not something I’d wear outside

 

[russell_314]

There really is no "beyond that" when a huge flaw is "too heavy/tight"
These are headphones. Comfort needed to be prioritized way more than it was.

This is the option of some. I have a huge head so in theory they should be too tight but I don’t feel that at all. As to them being heavy sure but for my use it’s a non issue. I don’t wear them for exercise or doing something where I’m moving around a lot. Usually I’m relaxing listening to music. If I’m more mobile I prefer regular AirPods

 

[russell_314]

They’re not something I’d wear outside

Exactly. It’s something to wear inside while relaxing

 

[russell_314]

I can understand wanting enough money to cover costs, and also reinvest profits in order to improve itself and grow, but Apple makes BILLIONS in profits a year. It's not like they're hurting for every single cent and dollar.

Yeah it’s not possible that everyone doesn’t want to buy all new cables for no reason. For some purposes USB-C is superior but for charging an iPhone or headphones it doesn’t matter. I mean switching to USB-C will probably make Apple more money with all the new cable sales.

 

[Abazigal]

Me too - Unfortunately I think they are still addicted to Lightning licensing revenue juice..

I don’t think it’s about lightning licensing revenue. The simpler explanation is probably that AirPods max owners are also iPhone owners, who are sharing their phones with lightning cables, and so AirPods all charge via lightning for that convenience as well.

 

[44267547]

Lol — Thiz is WAY much better than ANY sony headphone

Well, anytime someone makes the argument that something is better, it’s completely subjective and not a fact. I also question if you’ve ever even use the Sony XM4’s. The XM’s are very well engineered and constructed, as is Apples, but I won’t get into all the differences here.

They both have excellent sound dynamics and have different features, but one distinct advantage to the Sony’s, is they don’t add a lot of weight when wearing them, which doesn’t fatigue the user from wearing the headphones for an extended amount of time. And I say that, because that’s a crucial consideration, because if the headphones you’re wearing aren't comfortable for longer periods of time, then you ain’t wearing them.

 

[Denzo]

update to previous comment, if they went with usb-c, improved audio so that lossless could be enjoyed, had an off button, I’d consider current price purchase. And they need a case.

 

[Lolan]

I honestly think they are perfect where they are. I feel like apple Maxed about everything they can in these, Wi-Fi cannot be added to earphones as the radiation is too high for your brain to handle all day compared to Bluetooth…. Apple could honestly just do a firmware update to enable the ability to accept uncompressed audio from the lightning port and bomb done. The unfortunately probably will follow HomePod 1St gen on being amazing but dying off because of chronic complainers. You can’t get everything… you have quality materials and premium sound which is not cheap and you have the best noise cancellation and transparency modes. What else do you want in high end gear.

 

[ericwn]

I honestly think they are perfect where they are. I feel like apple Maxed about everything they can in these, Wi-Fi cannot be added to earphones as the radiation is too high for your brain to handle all day compared to Bluetooth…. Apple could honestly just do a firmware update to enable the ability to accept uncompressed audio from the lightning port and bomb done. The unfortunately probably will follow HomePod 1St gen on being amazing but dying off because of chronic complainers. You can’t get everything… you have quality materials and premium sound which is not cheap and you have the best noise cancellation and transparency modes. What else do you want in high end gear.

They certainly are not perfect and this has been stated many times over. They are heavy and expensive and the case is annoying to say the least. Apple could have done more to get lossless capability into the product (and I’m not even touching your opinion piece on WiFi and brains…).
The HomePod first generation was a flop for multiple reasons but complainers are certainly not the driving factor. Lack of lossless options, high prices, no auxiliary ports, incapable to be used as a stereo pair upon launch, no initial support for third party streaming services, mediocre Siri performance are just a few things that come back to mind. Plus slow international rollout of course. And I’m writing this as an owner of a pair of HomePods.

 

[turbineseaplane]

The unfortunately probably will follow HomePod 1St gen on being amazing but dying off because of chronic complainers.

This is a business and they are selling products.

The HomePod, and now likely the AirPods Max, didn't fail due to "chronic complainers".

The failures are because of a bad market fit and choices by Apple on design/features/tradeoffs/pricing and thus insufficient sales.

 

[NyCeEvO]

As Bloomberg reported, Apple is not actively working on AirPods Max 2. But if it is in development, I would like to see:

• Apple Lossless compatibility via AirPlay 2 (meaning Wi-Fi) or analog audio passthrough via wired connection
• Leather case optional
• Lighter, more breathable materials
• MagSafe and USB-C charging
• Lower price tag

I got the Max on sale. While there were a few negatives I was willing to overlook, the weight of the Max was the most significant factor in my decision to return them. I’m surprised more people don’t bring up how heavy they are. Maybe I just have a weak neck. ?

 

[Websnapx2]

Yeah, nobody's paying $550 for this **** again.

Drop price to $399 or kill the product. It's clearly a dud because retailers keep slashing prices on it.

No one who sells them near me, or can deliver in Canada, has them either in stock or on sale. None. SO, yes, people are paying for the full price, and no, they aren't a dud as they clearly can't keep them in stock and it has nothing to do with selling off at a discount.

 

[ericwn]

No one who sells them near me, or can deliver in Canada, has them either in stock or on sale. None. SO, yes, people are paying for the full price, and no, they aren't a dud as they clearly can't keep them in stock and it has nothing to do with selling off at a discount.

That’s my experience as well. I think Canadian retailers don’t get much stock in the first place hence the folks who want to buy them always have to dish out full price. That goes for plenty other products too though.

 

[poematik13]

No one who sells them near me, or can deliver in Canada, has them either in stock or on sale. None. SO, yes, people are paying for the full price, and no, they aren't a dud as they clearly can't keep them in stock and it has nothing to do with selling off at a discount.

Canada isn't real life. In the US they're usually discounted

 

[Websnapx2]

Canada isn't real life. In the US they're usually discounted

lol, I have a TV — Canada, I feel, may just be closer to real-life than what I'm seeing, that's for sure.

If they are discounted, it's not by much — by Mac Rumours own accounts, the steepest discount is $150, bringing it down to 399.99 US, and it was only for the Pink one, though woot and was a recent, one-time thing. you aren't going to see them Half off, like Sony, Beats or Bose usually have.

 

[jackfreedom76]

I rode the subways of NYC, out and about all day, wearing closed-back over-ear headphones, wired to my iPhone via a DAC. Great sound, and not bad on the subways, but def not great due to the LOUD noise. I realized I really want noise-cancelling headphones. I want to see a few things happen w/ AirPods Max for the next gen before dropping serious $ on them:
1 - on/off button
2 - most importantly - the ability to play hi-resolution files, or at least CD-quality. If Apple can crack the bluetooth code for hi-res, it will be a game-changer. Otherwise, if wired, I want the noise-cancellation to work with it.
3 - A real case. Nothing fancy, just a damn case to put them in.

 

[jazz1]

I rode the subways of NYC, out and about all day, wearing closed-back over-ear headphones, wired to my iPhone via a DAC. Great sound, and not bad on the subways, but def not great due to the LOUD noise. I realized I really want noise-cancelling headphones. I want to see a few things happen w/ AirPods Max for the next gen before dropping serious $ on them:
1 - on/off button
2 - most importantly - the ability to play hi-resolution files, or at least CD-quality. If Apple can crack the bluetooth code for hi-res, it will be a game-changer. Otherwise, if wired, I want the noise-cancellation to work with it.
3 - A real case. Nothing fancy, just a damn case to put them in.

If you don't mind ?

4- foldable (with the better case listed in "3" My now discontinued B&W (wired) P9's fold up nicely!

 

[SactoGuy18]

I don't think we'll see much change to the AirPods Max. The most likely change will be switch to a USB Type C connector and improved wireless connectivity with the H2 chip, which may mean UWB support for connections from a more recent iPhone or future iPad model that has the U1 chip.