Surprise! Apple has just announced their long-awaited new wireless over-ear headphones – the AirPods Max.
Apple says the ‘custom acoustic designed’ AirPods Max come with H1 chips and a 40mm driver system powering Adaptive EQ, Active Noise Cancellation, Transparency mode, and spatial audio. They also feature a stainless steel headband covered by a ‘knit mesh canopy’ for comfort, memory foam ear cushions and an Apple Watch inspired ‘Digital Crown,’ offering volume control, playback, phone calls, and Siri compatibility. Plenty of these features will already be familiar to AirPods Pro users, with Apple looking to translate the success of their earbuds over to their debut over-ear headphones.
The AirPods Max use position sensors to detect when they are on a user’s head, and can automatically play and pause audio either when fully removed, or when one of the ear cups is lifted. The company says the AirPods Max can offer up to 20 hours of playback with Active noise cancelling and spatial audio enabled, and also come with a ‘smart case’ that can put the headphones in ‘ultralow power’ mode to conserve battery when not in use. Oh, and you’ll still need a lightning connector to charge them.
