Apple has launched the next generation of its premium headphones, the AirPods Max 2, bringing improved sound performance, stronger noise cancellation and several new intelligent features.
The company revealed the headphones on Monday, five years after the original AirPods Max first arrived in 2020.
AirPods Max 2 will open for pre-orders on March 25 and will reach customers early next month. The headphones carry a starting price of $549 and will be sold in midnight, starlight, orange, purple and blue.
Apple says the device is powered by its H2 chip, the same audio processor used in newer AirPods models. The company says this chip allows the headphones to deliver stronger active noise cancellation and better overall sound performance.
“With the incredible performance of H2, AirPods Max are upgraded with up to 1.5x more effective ANC for the ultimate all-day listening experience,” said Eric Treski, Apple’s director of Audio Product Marketing.
“The sound quality is remarkably clean, rich, and acoustically detailed, and when combined with capabilities like Personalised Spatial Audio, AirPods Max 2 deliver a profoundly immersive experience.”
Apple says the new noise-cancelling system can block up to 1.5 times more background sound than the previous generation. That includes steady noise such as aircraft engines or train travel.
The headphones also introduce a new digital signal processing system designed to improve Transparency mode. This feature lets users hear the environment around them while still listening to audio.
Sound quality has also been upgraded and Apple says the headphones now use a high dynamic range amplifier to produce cleaner output, while maintaining the signature sound profile of the original model.
When connected with the supplied USB-C cable, AirPods Max 2 support 24-bit, 48 kHz lossless audio. Apple says this will help musicians and creators who work with professional tools such as Logic Pro.
The company is also adding a range of smart features designed to make the headphones easier to use in daily life.
Adaptive Audio automatically adjusts noise cancellation and transparency depending on the user’s surroundings. Conversation Awareness lowers audio volume when the wearer begins speaking to someone nearby.
Another addition is Live Translation, powered by Apple Intelligence, which allows people to communicate across languages during face-to-face conversations.
For calls, the headphones include Voice Isolation, which prioritises the user’s voice while reducing background noise.
Apple has also built tools aimed at creators. Users can record studio-quality audio through the built-in microphones, while a camera remote feature lets them take photos or start video recording by pressing the Digital Crown while using the Camera app on an iPhone or iPad.
The headphones also introduce Loud Sound Reduction, which helps limit exposure to high environmental noise without affecting the sound being played.
Apple says AirPods Max 2 are part of its wider environmental target under the Apple 2030 programme, which aims to make the company carbon neutral by the end of the decade.
According to the company, the headphones use recycled materials in several components. All magnets contain 100 percent recycled rare earth elements, while the ear cushions use fully recycled polyester. The packaging is made entirely from fibre-based materials designed for easier recycling.
AirPods Max 2 will be available in the United States and more than 30 other countries and regions when sales begin next month.
