With Apple upgrading AirPods Pro 2 with USB-C, I think AirPods Max is the following audio product in line to get it. But, like adding this port to AirPods Pro 2 isn’t enough to make me upgrade, I don’t think I’m giving Apple another $600 just for a port refresh.
Once again, Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman, in his Power On newsletter, says Apple is adding USB-C to AirPods Max. However, the journalist doesn’t say when he previously stated that this change should come as early as next year. With that in mind, here are the other five features I hope Apple adds so I can think about upgrading to a new model.
H2 chip: The original AirPods Max offers two H1 chips, Apple’s audio processor for AirPods. With AirPods Pro 2, the company upgraded this chip by saying the H2 processor adds new computation audio features, making ANC twice as good while adding a longer battery life and a new adaptive transparency mode.
U2 chip: Recently released for the iPhone 15 series, I hope Apple actually adds proper Find My capabilities for AirPods Max 2. This new ultrawide-band chip improves the connection range between devices, making it easier to find misplaced – or left behind – devices.
Bluetooth 5.3: Besides these new processors, Apple needs to update the Bluetooth protocol offered. Version 5.3 can deliver a faster, more reliable connection between AirPods and an iPhone, iPad, or Mac.
Lossless Audio over Bluetooth: Currently exclusive to the new USB-C AirPods Pro 2, Apple is adding Lossless Audio with Apple Vision Pro. The company says it can unlock a “powerful 20-bit, 48 kHz Lossless Audio with a massive reduction in audio latency” when pairing these two devices. I hope Apple can add this to the Max variant but for songs in general with an iPhone 15 or a Mac. In addition, by transitioning to USB-C, Lossless with a wired cable is coming anyway.
New smart case: One of the biggest complaints with the current AirPods Max regards its carrying case. Basically, it doesn’t protect the headphones and also doesn’t turn them off. With a new generation, I hope Apple adds a protective carrying case and a power-off button for this device.
