AirPods Max Begin Shipping to Customers Ahead of December 15 Launch

[MacRumors]

Apple last week announced the AirPods Max, the first Apple-branded over-ear headphones. Now, AirPods Max preorders are beginning to ship to customers around the world ahead of the December 15 launch date.

Although several orders for the headphones are still in the "Processing" or "Preparing to Ship" stages, one MacRumors reader has shared a screenshot of an AirPods Max order marked as "Shipped" on Apple's online store.

Priced at $549, AirPods Max have a mesh headband with a stainless steel frame that connects to memory foam ear cups. The headphones offer several features including high-fidelity audio, Adaptive EQ, Active Noise Cancellation, and spatial audio. Many reviewers have been impressed by the sound quality of the headphones.

AirPods Max will be available starting on December 15 in the United States and over 25 markets worldwide, according to Apple. Delivery estimates for all five AirPods Max colors have already slipped into 2021 on Apple.com, suggesting that either Apple is facing supply constraints or demand for the headphones is quite high.

Waiting for your AirPods Max? Be sure to track your shipment in the MacRumors forums.

Article Link: AirPods Max Begin Shipping to Customers Ahead of December 15 Launch

 

[jz0309]

Congrats to those who've ordered them ... looking forward to some real life reviews

 

[smithrh]

Definitely feels like there was some sort of two-step embargo here -

a) You can talk about the headphones, how they feel, packaging, etc

(units ship)

b) ...now you can talk about how they sound


I suspect the performance will be decent or even better. But this delay in reviews of how they sound is really frustrating.

 

[applicious84]

Sunday night news

 

[Costino1]

I purchased the AirPods 1 & 2 and also the AirPods Pro "hearing unseen" aka bought them blindly without ever testing them. I was leery doing that and spending $200-250. I couldn't imagine doing that for the AirPods Max for $500+. For that price I need to actually put them on and demo some songs in living color. (yeah I keep using visual statements for something thats auditory lol)

 

[tothemoonsands]

Will more stock become available before/at launch? Will be watching like a hawk tomorrow and Tuesday

 

[BreakingKayfabe]

Will more stock become available before/at launch? Will be watching like a hawk tomorrow and Tuesday

Probably will see stock pop up at Apple Stores if you check the Apple
Store app.

 

[TheDailyApple]

They’d have to soundly beat the Sony XM4s to be worth it at that price.

 

[outdevo]

Definitely feels like there was some sort of two-step embargo here -

a) You can talk about the headphones, how they feel, packaging, etc

(units ship)

b) ...now you can talk about how they sound


I suspect the performance will be decent or even better. But this delay in reviews of how they sound is really frustrating.

I had that exact same thought. Is that common?

 

[acblue94]

Apple last week announced the AirPods Max, the first Apple-branded over-ear headphones. Now, AirPods Max preorders are beginning to ship to customers around the world ahead of the December 15 launch date.

Although several orders for the headphones are still in the "Processing" or "Preparing to Ship" stages, one MacRumors reader has shared a screenshot of an AirPods Max order marked as "Shipped" on Apple's online store.

Priced at $549, AirPods Max have a mesh headband with a stainless steel frame that connects to memory foam ear cups. The headphones offer several features including high-fidelity audio, Adaptive EQ, Active Noise Cancellation, and spatial audio. Many reviewers have been impressed by the sound quality of the headphones.

AirPods Max will be available starting on December 15 in the United States and over 25 markets worldwide, according to Apple. Delivery estimates for all five AirPods Max colors have already slipped into 2021 on Apple.com, suggesting that either Apple is facing supply constraints or demand for the headphones is quite high.

Waiting for your AirPods Max? Be sure to track your shipment in the MacRumors forums.

Article Link: AirPods Max Begin Shipping to Customers Ahead of December 15 Launch

Waiting anxiously for my status of delivery.

 

[supergt]

They’d have to soundly beat the Sony XM4s to be worth it at that price.

I see what you did there ?

 

[PimpDaddy]

Delivery estimates for all five AirPods Max colors have already slipped into 2021 on Apple.com, suggesting that either Apple is facing supply constraints or demand for the headphones is quite high.

Honestly I have big doubts that the demand is so high for this product at this price that Apples supply chain wouldn’t be able to keep up.
I would believe it if Apple from the beginning knew they probably knew it would be a tough sell at this price and intentionally ordered a smaller number of units, so the product could seem more sought after due to slipping shipping times(say that 10x fast ?) quickly after launch, even before reviews have come in.

In other words. I don’t buy in to the hype Apple could artificially seem to imply by on purpose ordering few units. And I would get it. On that account alone Apple might be able to make some more sells just by the product seeming exclusive and illusive. ??‍♂️

 

[crawfish963]

They’d have to soundly beat the Sony XM4s to be worth it at that price.

Which is not likely, to be honest. Those are arguably the best noise cancelling wireless headphones on the market and they have been around for ~$275 USD lately.

 

[Aluminum213]

The status symbol I dream about, music quality be damned

 

[Minato1990]

Definitely will try to pick up one at a store through their website on Tuesday. I just want to buy to try them and will more than likely return them lmao
Should I even start looking as of tommorow?

 

[Ds6778]

Every time is see “AirPods Max,” I cringe. I’m sure they will sound amazing and will be great at noise cancellation. I just can’t wrap my mind around this “strategy.” Had they priced it for $399 or less, they would have dominated the Bose/Sony market IMO. I also could have overlooked the lack of a case and a way to power them off. $550? Not sure who they're targeting here. I doubt they will be $200-$275 better than Sony or Bose offerings. Even if they are “better,” it’s still a stretch given how much more they are.

On a side rant, can we get rid of the “Max” nomenclature? “Max” is just so cheesy, it’s like Apple is letting an 8 year old come up with these names. “Super mega-awesome Pro-Max XDR PROMAX Super Edition Plus!”

I guess another rant, why are these even called AirPods? The first thing I think of when I hear “AirPods” is compact, wireless, in ear headphones, not massive, heavy cans.
I wish Apple would just make their Pro lineup and than SE versions. Keep it simple.

 

[SirChristopher]

You can buy 4.5 shares of AAPL for this....just sayin'.

 

[trhoffmann]

You can buy 4.5 shares of AAPL for this....just sayin'.

Or sell 5 shares to buy them with AppleCare+.

 

[wdwpsu]

Looking forward to seeing clips of NBA players walking in to arenas wearing them.

 

[FHoff]

I suspect the performance will be decent or even better. But this delay in reviews of how they sound is really frustrating.

Why? If you didn’t Pre Order they aren’t shipping until March you got time for the review.

Definitely will try to pick up one at a store through their website on Tuesday. I just want to buy to try them and will more than likely return them lmao
Should I even start looking as of tommorow?

Doubtful stores will even get them.

 

[kycophpd]

Doubtful stores will even get them.

Which product did stores not get stock of at the date of release or within a few days of the release? I have found that if you want a product and don't want to wait, you can usually refresh the Apple store app and find availability, usually starting the day of release. Apple always saves a little for store stock. Sometimes they may only be available for a few minutes but if you throw them in your cart quick enough, you can buy them for in store pickup. I did this with the original AirPods when they came out. I got them on release day this way.

 

[FHoff]

Which product did stores not get stock of at the date of release or within a few days of the release? I have found that if you want a product and don't want to wait, you can usually refresh the Apple store app and find availability, usually starting the day of release. Apple always saves a little for store stock.

Apple stores aren’t doing SOP right now. And I can’t think of another product that had a 14 week lead time from pre order day forward. But who knows. Good luck.

 

[saxondale.]

APM Space Grey are preparing to ship. As i'm in Beijing, all my Apple products usually ship around 05:00 and arrive the same day between 10:00-12:00.

 

[Abazigal]

Every time is see “AirPods Max,” I cringe. I’m sure they will sound amazing and will be great at noise cancellation. I just can’t wrap my mind around this “strategy.” Had they priced it for $399 or less, they would have dominated the Bose/Sony market IMO. I also could have overlooked the lack of a case and a way to power them off. $550? Not sure who they're targeting here. I doubt they will be $200-$275 better than Sony or Bose offerings. Even if they are “better,” it’s still a stretch given how much more they are.

Well for one, I suspect that the AirPods max can’t really be sold for much cheaper because that’s how much it costs to make.

At $550, and given it’s a first gen product with new industrial design, and given what we know about the HomePod, I am estimating that the cost of the AirPods max is about $450, for 20% margins. Going anything below this is basically asking Apple to eat a loss on every unit sold.

Second, I don’t think Apple intends to dominate the existing Sony / Bose market as much as they plan to create their own parallel market (which they will in turn dominate).

We may see Apple release a cheaper “sport” version of the AirPods max in the future, when Apple has had the opportunity to recoup some of the expenses on R&D and manufacturing but right now, the AirPods max are that expensive because (I suspect) they simply cost a lot to make.

On a side rant, can we get rid of the “Max” nomenclature? “Max” is just so cheesy, it’s like Apple is letting an 8 year old come up with these names. “Super mega-awesome Pro-Max XDR PROMAX Super Edition Plus!”

I guess another rant, why are these even called AirPods? The first thing I think of when I hear “AirPods” is compact, wireless, in ear headphones, not massive, heavy cans.
I wish Apple would just make their Pro lineup and than SE versions. Keep it simple.

I recall reading somewhere that “air” when used as a prefix means wireless, while pods means music. So AirPods simply refers to wireless music.

Max means a larger version of an existing product, so AirPods max means bigger wireless headphones.

It’s not exactly intuitive, but I do see a certain logic in the naming.

 

[newyorksole]

I can’t waitttt to get mine. Very excited.