Apple has no plans to renew AirPods Max, analyst says

Apple was expected to launch AirPods Max 2 at its September event, but that didn’t happen. Instead, it introduced a refreshed version of the original AirPods Max headphones with a USB Type-C port replacing the proprietary Lightning port, in line with the company’s other devices. However, the Cupertino-based tech giant has no plans to make a major refresh to its over-ear headphones due to the device’s relatively low sales, according to a report.

No plans for updated AirPods Max

Bloomberg analyst Mark Gurman detailed the rumors surrounding Apple AirPods Max in the latest edition of Power On newsletter. The company is said to have no plans to upgrade its over-ear headphones with additions such as improved active noise cancellation (ANC), longer battery life or a new chip. This is because the headphones are not so popular that investments can be made in the development of a new version. However, Apple has no plans to shelve them, as they are not “a big enough flop” according to the report.

Although the AirPods Max received a USB Type-C port and a new paint job with new colorways in September this year, the feature set remains largely the same. This is despite the company introducing new capabilities to its listening devices such as Adaptive Audio, which is exclusive to the AirPods Pro (2nd generation) despite costing Rs. 35,000 less than its flagship over-ear headphones.

The AirPods Max also lack the newer H2 chip that powers the AirPods Pro (2nd generation), and a call awareness feature available on recent AirPods models. The latter can detect when someone is speaking and automatically lower the media volume.

According to Gurman, the AirPods Max are expected to hit the market in their current form for the “foreseeable future.” Notably, AirPods Max costs Rs. 59,900 in India.