APTx only goes to 420 kbps. LDAC under best conditions might do 990 kbps, just CD quality.
Crossing my fingers that they implement the new, unreleased, lossless wireless connectivity in the Vision Pro supporting higher than CD bitrates (?).
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AirPods Max 2 Launch Next Year: What to Expect (and What to Hope For)
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APTx only goes to 420 kbps. LDAC under best conditions might do 990 kbps, just CD quality.
Crossing my fingers that they implement the new, unreleased, lossless wireless connectivity in the Vision Pro supporting higher than CD bitrates (?).
I think they’re pretty close. APM are better straight out of the box IMO, but the Bose app has built in EQ for bass, mid, and treble so you may be able to get a ‘better’ sound to your individual taste. Definitely happy with them. I don’t care for immersion mode or Spatial Audio so can’t give a good comparison there.
ANC is fantastic as well if that matters to you. A lot of reviews say it’s the best out there right now. I can only speak for APP, APM, QC45, Beats Studio Pro, and QC Ultras, but would agree across those.
They’re on sale right now and Bose offers free 2 day shipping with free 90 day returns even if opened, so risk-free test drive is always an option.
I’d like orange AirPods Maxes a lot.
Airline fleets aren’t gonna be updated or modified to keep up with ever changing entertainment tech. Most of the airlines now have pretty good inflight entertainment app that can be used on tablets, phones and laptops. I haven’t used an inflight entertainment screen in 5-6 years. Just use my iPhone or iPad Pro on longer flights.
A little lighter and a better case would be welcome cosmetic changes, but complete feature parity with the Pros, a state-of-the-art chip, and lossless playback (USB-C if necessary, but preferably leveraging proprietary wireless technology) are necessary for these cans to earn the Max monicker.
Got to be lossless and much less latency, I love my AP Max and I'm an audio pro with several different pro cans in our studios and these rate, but they are no good for writing on the move. 24 bit/48 kHz and under 20ms latency make them feasible, sounds like a possibility so looking forward to some concrete news.
They need to be lighter, cheaper, embedded AirTag and support high-res lossless audio via a cable (even if that's USB-C and not 3.5mm). The next iPhone also needs to have a DAC that supports high-rise lossless.
Apple claim to have music in their DNA - I say prove it, and justify those ridiculously high hardware prices a little.
Apple claim to have music in their DNA - I say prove it, and justify those ridiculously high hardware prices a little.
And given that at AirPod Max 2 launch the H2 chip wI’ll already have been in cheaper and older headphones in Apple’s lineup for a while if Apple didn’t then include the H2 in its latest APM that would so outrageous that it would put the APM2 right up there as a product that I would really hope would crash and burn in sales terms and teach Apple a lesson. I think you’re right though, not putting H2 in the APM refresh would be such a crazy decision that I also see pretty much zero chance of it happening.
I’d like to see those things and also better portability. Folding mechanism? Or at least a better travel case. Then I can finally retire my Sony XM4’s!
Sadly, yes. Even some of the most advanced and modern big-screen IFE systems on the world’s best airlines still do not offer the ability to connect your own headphones via Bluetooth!
Maybe it’s some kind of issue with capacity. If many passengers on an aircraft are using Bluetooth at the same time, is there an issue with bandwidth congestion?
Very unlikely that it would ever work when powered off. Not many powered/wireless/noise cancelling headphones allow this.
3.5mm in via a USB-C adapter cable/dongle seems likely, though.
Can’t see buying another headphones from Apple. Doesn’t really matter what they do. First one was way too much garbage to care anymore at the ridiculous premium they’d want for them.
I forgot I had a case somewhere. Bought at launch. Used literally daily. Heavy use. Understandable battery wear. Still going strong, although has wake-up problems sometimes.
AirPods Max are the oldest current-generation AirPods product still in Apple's lineup. It's been almost three years since Apple launched AirPods Max in December 2020, and only recently have we begun hearing rumors about Apple's plans for a new-generation model next year.
According to well-connected Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman, Apple will introduce a new version of the AirPods Max in late 2024. Here's what we expect from the new version of Apple's premium over-ear headphones, followed by some potential features that we hope to see but are still unconfirmed for AirPods Max 2.
2024 AirPods Max: What to Expect
USB-C
According to Gurman, Apple will replace the Lightning port found on the current-generation AirPods Max for a USB-C port. This will ensure the headphones comply with European regulations, and will bring consistency across the company's AirPods lineup.
This of course means AirPods Max 2 will come supplied with a USB-C to USB-C charging cable, rather than a Lightning to USB-C cable. Apple will also need to offer a USB-C to 3.5mm audio accessory cable so that users can plug AirPods Max 2 into 3.5mm audio ports.
Bluetooth 5.3
The Bluetooth 5.3 specification can already be found in the AirPods Pro 2, the iPhone 15 lineup, and the latest Apple Watch models. It is also supported by all Mac models released in 2023. Therefore it's almost inevitable that the second-generation AirPods Max will similarly feature the latest Bluetooth standard.
Bluetooth 5.3 includes enhancements that can improve the reliability of the wireless connection as well as energy efficiency. The specification also includes LE Audio, but Apple does not appear to have implemented support for LE Audio in its devices yet.
New Colors
Apple will offer second-generation AirPods Max in fresh colors, according to an October 2023 Bloomberg report. Although what those colors might be is currently unknown.
AirPods Max are currently available in Space Gray, Silver, Green, Sky Blue, and Pink, although interchangeable ear cushions allow for many color combinations. Apple sells standalone ear cushions for $69 per pair.
2024 AirPods Max: What to Hope For
The latest rumors suggest that no other major changes are expected for the AirPods Max 2, although Apple's plans could always change between now and when they are released in late 2024. Here are the improvements and changes that we hope Apple ultimately includes.
H2 Chip
It would seem reasonable for AirPods Max 2 to feature the H2 chip, Apple's custom silicon chip designed specifically for earbuds and headphones. The H2 chip enables improved computational audio to enhance sound quality on the current-generation AirPods Pro and improves battery life with better energy efficiency.
Despite the H2 chip's introduction with the AirPods Pro, Gurman's latest report suggests Apple currently does not plan to include the technology in the AirPods Max 2, which would also deprive the headphones of H2-specific features like Adaptive Audio, Personalized Volume, and improved noise cancelation and battery life.
U2 Chip and Precision Finding
Apple's U2 Ultra Wideband chip can be found in the latest iPhone 15 series, Apple Watch Series 9 and the Apple Watch Ultra 2, and allows for Precision Finding in the Find My app.
The current AirPods Max feature basic support for Find My, but do not even feature the previous generation U1 chip. For Apple to add a U2 chip to AirPods Max 2 would therefore enable a much more precise way to locate the headphones when they are nearby.
Redesigned Smart Case
When Apple unveiled the $549 AirPods Max, the included Smart Case stirred up plenty of online chatter for its odd appearance and poor overall protection when compared to the traditional hard cases that come with other premium headphones.
Apple's much-lampooned case birthed an avalanche of memes, which have irreverently compared it to all sorts of things, from handbags to lingerie, and even body parts. There are no rumors that Apple plans to redesign the case, although one Apple patent describes how a future model could come with a case that offers a more traditional portable housing.
Article Link: AirPods Max 2 Launch Next Year: What to Expect (and What to Hope For)
Are we still on this? It’s only a bra if you can’t step out of what I’m alleging as your myopic view of design, and also, why not stop gendering so hard? There are other ways to look at the world.