AirPods Max 2: When to Expect Apple's Next Over-Ear Headphones

AirPods Max were first released in December 2020 and have had minimal hardware changes since then. According to Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the new AirPods Max will be lighter than the current ones, but the exact weight is unknown. The current AirPods Max weigh 0.85 pounds, excluding the charging case. Kuo expects the AirPods Max 2 to enter mass production in 2027, but no other details have been provided. By the time the AirPods Max 2 launch, it will have been a seven-year wait. It is unclear what other changes the new AirPods Max will have beyond being lighter. Last year, Apple updated the AirPods Max with a USB-C charging port and new color options, but they are still considered first-generation AirPods Max. The headphones did not receive Apple's H2 chip, so they continue to miss out on Adaptive Audio features. AirPods Max still have the outdated H1 chip introduced in 2019 and cost $549 in the United States. The AirPods Max with USB-C gained support for lossless audio and ultra-low latency audio in a firmware update earlier this year.