Apple’s release of its refreshed AirPods Max over-ear headphones in September 2024 wasn’t exactly thrilling, with the new pair merely a ‘soft’ update on the originals that launched in 2020. Sure, it brought USB-C to the table (necessarily bringing its proprietary Lightning connector ever closer to extinction) and introduced a handful of new colours that are, in my opinion, swankier than the original’s choice of finishes. But we didn’t get anything on our AirPods Max 2 wishlist – better battery life, an improved foldable design and case or improved Android support, to mention a few.
Actually, no design or specification upgrades were anywhere to be seen, which was perhaps a pity considering the age of the originals, but certainly not the end of the world considering how strong Apple’s headphones remain across the sound quality, noise-cancelling performance and physical design departments. That they still hold up pretty well in those respects – and against handfuls of rivals that have arrived in the years since – is indeed a testament to that original design.
