In a Surprise Move, Apple Announces AirPods Max 2

Source: Apple.

Apple kicked off the week with a bit of a surprise: the AirPods Max 2. The updated over-the-ear headphones feature the H2 chip, better adaptive noise cancellation, improved audio, and other improvements.

According to director of Audio Product Marketing Eric Treski:

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. The sound quality is remarkably clean, rich, and acoustically detailed — and when combined with capabilities like Personalized Spatial Audio, AirPods Max 2 deliver a profoundly immersive experience.

Apple says that the AirPods Max 2 improve ANC 1.5x over the original AirPods Max thanks to the H2 chip and new audio algorithms and feature improved Spatial Audio. The company also claims that a new DSP algorithm built for the H2 makes Transparency Mode sound more natural.

Source: Apple.

The new headphones are packed with intelligent features, too, including conversational awareness, adaptive audio to adjust ANC and Transparency based on environmental sound levels, Live Translation, and Voice Isolation. The update enables the AirPods Max 2 to add other features we’ve seen on the AirPods Pro line, like:

Using the digital crown to take a photo or start and stop video recording in the Camera and third-party camera apps

Loud sound reduction

Personalized volume that adapts to user volume preferences

Interacting with Siri by nodding or shaking your head

Game Mode

The new AirPods Max 2 come in midnight, starlight, orange, purple, and blue and can be pre-ordered beginning March 25 for $549. Deliveries and in-store availability are slated for early April.