AirPods Max 2: Four things that haven’t changed

Apple made a surprise announcement this morning for AirPods Max 2. This is the first real update to Apple’s most popular headphones since they were launched in 2020, with the new H2 chip enabling much-needed new features.

There are, however, many things that haven’t changed with AirPods Max 2.

AirPods Max 2: What hasn’t changed?

Design

AirPods Max 2 looks the same as its predecessor. They weigh exactly the same and do not fold for easy storage.

Here are the full dimensions of the AirPods Max 2:

• Length:7.37 inches (187.3 mm)
• Range:6.64 inches (168.6 mm)
• Depth:3.28 inches (83.4 mm)
• Weight:13.6 ounces (386.2 grams)

So if you found the AirPods Max too heavy, that unfortunately hasn’t changed with the AirPods Max 2.

The case

Another controversial feature of the AirPods Max that hasn’t changed with today’s update is the Smart Case.

When you place AirPods Max 2 in the Smart Case, they will enter the same “low power mode” as their predecessors.

Battery Life

Battery life for the AirPods Max 2 is exactly the same: “Up to 20 hours of listening time on a single charge with Active Noise Cancellation enabled.”

Apple, however, is promoting a new metric it never cited for the original AirPods Max: “Up to 20 hours of movie playback on a single charge with Active Noise Cancellation and Spatial Audio enabled.”

Apple also claims that AirPods Max 2 can get 1.5 hours of listening time from a 5-minute charge.

Lossless audio

While some people have long hoped that Apple would bring wireless streaming to AirPods, that is not the case with this update. AirPods Max 2 only supports lossless audio and ultra-low latency audio when connected via USB-C.

9to5Mac’s Take

I bought AirPods Max on launch day in December 2020 and have been using them almost every day since then. I had to buy new ear cups last year and the battery life is not what it used to be, but other than that they hold up very well.

I’m still debating whether to buy the AirPods Max 2, but right now I’m leaning towards ordering a pair.

I understand why some people don’t like the design of the AirPods Max, but I actually find them comfortable. My only real complaint is that they don’t fold up, so they take up a lot of space in my bag. Most of the time, I have a lot of extra space in my bag so it’s not a big deal, but they do get in the way when I travel.

It’s clear that Apple’s plan with the AirPods Max 2 was to update the chip and nothing else. And they probably only did that because they were running out of H1 chips and it was cheaper to put the H2 in than to make the previous generation chip.

What do you think of AirPods Max 2? Are you planning to order a pair? Let us know down in the comments.

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