So, it's finally official. Apple is releasing the next generation of AirPods Max, and this time it's for real. In other words, not a minor update with a different charging port, but a full-fledged new model. The AirPods Max 2 certainly look almost identical to the original on the surface, but a lot has changed under the hood. The biggest news is that the headphones are now powered by Apple's H2 chip, which offers a range of new features and improvements compared to its predecessor.
According to Apple, the active noise cancellation is up to 1.5 times more effective than before. At the same time, features such as Adaptive Sound, Conversation Awareness—which automatically lowers the volume when you start talking to someone—and Voice Isolation for clearer calls have been introduced.
The H2 chip also opens the door to more smart features, including real-time speech translation and automatically adjusted volume. Additionally, the headphones support lossless audio at 24-bit/48 kHz via USB-C connection, a significant upgrade. Unfortunately, it seems the price tag remains the same, as does the controversial case.
For those interested, the AirPods Max 2 will launch in five different colours in early April, with pre-orders opening on March 25. The price tag? Well, it's $549.