Gurman: Apple has no plans for a ‘meaningful’ AirPods Max refresh after USB-C model

According to Mark Gurman’s latest Power On newsletter, Apple has no ‘meaningful’ plans to refresh AirPods Max after the introduction of the USB-C model earlier this year. If you were waiting for a bigger refresh with a newer chip, improved noise cancellation, or anything else – you’re out of luck.

Apple introduced AirPods Max in December 2020 at the high price of $549, and left them unchanged for nearly four years. We later got a USB-C version in September 2024, with some refreshed colors, but that was it. No upgrade to the H2 chip, no adaptive audio, or anything meaningful.

According to Gurman, AirPods Max at their $549 price tag aren’t quite worth Apple’s time:

The headphones aren’t a hot enough seller to justify pouring money into development, but they’re also not a big enough flop to kill them outright. If you’ve ever been to an upscale gym in Los Angeles or New York, you can see these $550 headphones have a market — even with the high price and outdated technology.

Updating…

What do you think of AirPods Max in their current form? Let us know in the comments.

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