Apple AirPods Max 2 with H2 chip and improved ANC unveiled
Apple today unveiled the AirPods Max 2, featuring key improvements such as the H2 chip, enhanced active noise cancellation, improved sound quality, and features like Adaptive Audio, Call Recognition, Voice Isolation, and Live Translation. The new AirPods Max share the same overall design as the previous generation, with most of the new features coming from the upgrade to the H2 chip.
Apple AirPods Max 2 Features
- Adaptive Audio automatically adjusts the ANC and transparency levels to the environment to optimize the audio experience.
- The “Conversation Detection” feature helps to lower the volume of the content and reduce background noise when a user starts talking to someone nearby.
- The live translation is provided by Apple Intelligence, helps users with personal communication between different languages.
- The voice isolation uses H2’s advanced computer-aided audio technology to prioritize the voice during calls while blocking out ambient noise.
The Apple AirPods Max 2 also support Personalized Volume, which adjusts the volume based on a combination of your surroundings and your volume settings. With the H2 chip, the AirPods Max 2 offer up to 1.5 times more effective active noise cancellation than the previous generation, according to Apple. Apple also promises that Transparency mode, which allows ambient sound to pass through, sounds even more natural.
The Apple headphones still feature a USB-C port for charging and lossless audio transmission. Apple states a battery life of up to 20 hours with noise cancellation enabled, which is unchanged compared to the previous generation.
Like the previous AirPods Max (2024) with iOS 18.4 or later, the Max 2 also support lossless 24-bit/48kHz audio with the included USB-C cable for the highest sound quality. For wireless connectivity, the new headphones use Bluetooth 5.3, whereas their predecessors were limited to Bluetooth 5.0.
A new camera remote control feature allows users to take a photo and start or stop video recording by pressing the Digital Crown on their AirPods Max 2, while using Apple’s Camera app or compatible third-party camera apps on an iPhone or iPad.
Price
The AirPods Max 2 will be available for pre-order starting Wednesday, March 25, in the US and over 30 other countries via Apple.com and the Apple Store app. The official sales launch is planned for early April. In the US, the AirPods Max 2 will cost $549, the same price as the previous models, which are no longer available in stores. In Europe, they will cost €579.
The AirPods Max 2 come with a Smart Case that features the same design as before. The earbuds enter a power-saving mode when stored in this case, which is particularly important since they still lack a power button. The available colors remain Midnight Blue, Starlight, Orange, Purple, and Blue.
Strictly speaking, this is the third version of the AirPods Max. The original AirPods Max with Lightning connector were released in December 2020 and received a minor update in September 2024 with a USB-C connector and new color options.
