Apple reveals AirPods Max, available December 15th, Pro-order now

Apple announced its long rumored over the ear headphones via a press release early this morning. Ever since Apple acquired Beats, rumors about Apple building first-party over the ear headphones have been present. After the original AirPods and AirPods Pro, the rumors reached higher and higher heights. Recently an icon of the AirPods Max were discovered within iOS14 which gave us a glimpse of the upcoming headphones. Today, we now get to see them in action.

Apple’s new premium headphones are set to go on sale December 15th for $549 and pre-orders start today. They come in five distinct colors – space gray, silver, sky blue, green and Pink.

AirPods Max feature what Apple calls “custom acoustic design” with a 40mm driver on each ear that Apple claims provides “rich, deep bass, accurate mid-ranges, and crisp, clean high-frequency extension so every note can be heard.”

Apple has cross pollinated many technologies from their AirPods like Adaptive EQ, transparency mode, spatial audio and audio sharing with a feature coming from Apple Watch, the digital crown. There is also a button for hopping from Noise Cancellation into transparency modes.

The breathable knit mesh canopy, spanning the headband, is made to distribute weight and reduce on-head pressure. The stainless-steel headband frame provides strength, flexibility, and comfort for a wide variety of head shapes and sizes. Telescoping headband arms smoothly extend and stay in place to maintain the desired fit.

Apple

AirPods Max have a 20-hour battery life and charge with a lightning connector, instead of the more ubiquitous USB-C. Just like many other headphones, it will automatically pause audio when you remove the headphones and restart when put back on.

Apple didn’t stop with the headphones, they even offer a “Smart Case” which puts them into a low-power state automatically.

Additionally, Apple’s noise cancellation produces anti-noise to hush external sound by using six external-facing microphones with two internal-facing microphones that measure what you are hearing to cancel out distractions, along with built in beamforming microphones that should perform well for the all-important voice call duties.