New AirPods Max are coming in 2024, but don’t expect to see any ground-breaking features or new hardware in Apple’s most expensive headphones.
In a new report from Mark Gurman at Bloomberg, the top insider revealed that Apple is looking to make 2024 a successful year for the company outside of the iPhone 16. Alongside the Apple Vision Pro, one product set for release is a 2nd generation of AirPods Max — one without many new bells and whistles.
Gurman states, “The cans don’t sell well enough for the company to invest in entirely new hardware or software features, but Apple is planning a model that trades in the Lightning charger for USB-C and potentially adds new colors.”
A lack of improvements
While the AirPods Max are the most expensive of any headphones or earbuds that Apple sells, they don’t quite have the same mass appeal as their smaller siblings, the AirPods or AirPods Pro. It’s interesting to see Gurman's report on a lack of sales being the main detractor from a huge overhaul for the over-ear headphones.
While the AirPods Max’s 2nd generation won’t bring many new hardware features, Gurman adds that Apple is working on some major software developments for the company’s AirPods lineup. One of which adds hearing aid functionality, “The company plans to release that feature later next year, and it could be the start of something big. Apple believes its take on the hearing aid has the potential to upend a multibillion-dollar industry.”
If this new report is correct, and it’s fair to say it’s likely to be considering Gurman’s track record, then those looking to purchase AirPods Max don’t have much incentive to wait for a newer model. With heavy discounts on the headphones released three years ago this week, give yourself the gift of music this holiday season instead of waiting for 2024.
