The Apple AirPods Max are an incredibly popular pair of noise-cancelling headphones that continue to appeal to Apple fans who want great sound on a budget. That’s why they’re our top pick for Apple lovers in both our best over ear headphones And best noise cancelling headphones guides.
It’s no surprise then that there’s a lot of interest in what the Cupertino giant is going to do. After all, the Apple AirPods Max were launched in December 2020. Does this mean the Apple AirPods Max 2 will be coming soon? Because you’d think so, right?
While no official details about the AirPods Max 2 have been released yet, Apple analyst Jeff Pu says he expects the AirPods Max 2 to come to us in the fourth quarter of 2024. Read our AirPods Max 2 rumors, possible release date and what we want to see guide to the latest news. But what tech and features should Apple borrow from audio rivals to ensure the AirPods Max 2 is a success? Read on.
1. A better carrying case from Bose, Earfun and Sony
The original AirPods Max carrying case was controversial. In our review, we called it “abysmal” and “terrible” — not only because it looked a little ridiculous (we saw people comparing it to a sleep mask and a bra when it first launched), but also because it offered little to no protection for what are incredibly expensive headphones.
Sure, you could pay extra for a hard case, but these headphones are already a big outlay, so we don’t think you need to. Especially when you consider that many other brands that make high-end headphones make much better, sturdier, and less ridiculous-looking cases.
For example, both the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones And Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless come with simple hard-shell cases that fold the over-ears into. Even less-than-perfect cases, like the ones that come with the Sony WH-1000XM5 Headphones that are quite large and cumbersome offer a decent amount of protection that is essential for travel.
The reason we know it’s not too much to ask? Even budget headphones do better. The Earfun Wave Pro have a simple carrying case that we described in our review as having a “surprisingly premium feel.”
2. Lossless audio from Sonos and Sony
At launch, the AirPods Max cost $549 / £549 / AU$899. While you can now find them for closer to $549 / £499 / AU$899, they’re still an incredibly expensive pair of headphones – more expensive than some of the best headphones built for audiophiles. And yet, they don’t support lossless audio. Instead, you get Apple’s compressed AAC codec over Bluetooth here.
In the AirPods Max 2, we’d like to see an option to listen to Lossless or Hi-Res levels of Apple Music. It makes sense for the price, and many headphones – some of which are much cheaper – offer lossless listening. For example, the Sonos bait may not be our favorite headphones for music, but they are excellent headphones for movie buffs with a USB-C port that delivers high-quality, lossless Hi-Res audio.
This is also all the more reason for the AirPods Max 2 to come with a cable. They currently don’t, and while you can buy one separately, it’s a digital cable, meaning it’s not lossless. Apple could also take a leaf out of Sony’s book. Sony WH-1000XM5 Over-ear headphones have LDAC codec (Sony’s option for high-resolution audio) and DSEE Extreme support.
3. Extended battery life from Cambridge Audio, Earfun and Sennheiser
The Apple AirPods Max offered 20 hours of battery life with ANC on. That’s a decent amount of stamina, especially considering these over-ear headphones perform so well for every second of those 20 hours. But a few years since their launch, competing brands are now releasing devices that sound just as good (or close to it) with twice or even three times the battery.
For example the Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless headphones offer 60 hours, even with ANC activated. Like the AirPods Max, they also sound great, offer an incredible noise-cancelling experience, and look great. It’s the same story with the Cambridge Audio Melomania P100 headphones, which can offer 60 hours with ANC on and a whopping 100 hours with ANC off. Even budget headphones, like the Earfun Wave Pro, offer a battery life of 55 hours. We know, longevity isn’t everything, but the Max 2 has some catching up to do.
4. Improved design from Bose and Sony
Look, there is nothing wrong with the design of the original Apple AirPods Max. In fact, some people think they’re among the most stylish over-ears on the market right now – a common opinion among Apple fans, at least. But if we’re being picky, there are a number of design upgrades that would make the AirPods Max 2 a much better choice.
For starters, they’re not foldable. That’s not unusual for high-end headphones – the Bowers & Wilkins PX8 aren’t foldable, for example, and neither are the Dali iO-12 (which sound great but also come with a frankly enormous case). But it does mean that the AirPods Max are more cumbersome to transport than they need to be – and they’re already cumbersome to transport considering they have such a ridiculously bulky case.
Other high-end brands do it better. Just look at the Bose Quietcomfort Ultra and the Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones. It’s not like you can make these headphones so small that they’re really small, but the ability to fold the cups and then push them in on themselves a little bit with the hinge reduces the amount of space they take up, making them much more portable.
While we’re on the design front, it would be nice if the AirPods Max 2 were a little lighter than the originals. Of course, it’s a tricky balance. Can the premium materials that make these headphones so special also be feather-light?
Let’s take a look at the specs. The AirPods Max currently weigh 385 grams. But both Sony WH1000XM5 and the Bose Quietcomfort Ultra headphones weigh 250 grams, sound great and look stylish. That shows you can be high-end And lightweight.