The current AirPods Max ship with a USB-C port instead of a Lightning connector, along with some different colors that Apple introduced, which do not make for a compelling upgrade. These ‘over the ear’ wireless headphones also do not ship with the latest H2 chip, and yet, the company charges an insane premium, making the AirPods Pro 2 a more attractive proposition. Unfortunately, this model will remain in stock for the foreseeable future, with no successor planned, because Apple has not been selling enough of these to pursue a newer version.
Despite the lack of convincing sales, the AirPods Max are reportedly selling enough that Apple does not have to discontinue its flagship headphones
The exact figures of AirPods Max shipments were not shared by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, but in his latest ‘Power On’ newsletter that was spotted by AppleInsider, he mentions that the technology giant’s top-tier wireless headphones are currently placed in a confusing position. On one hand, these continue to be popular amongst buyers who want a premium pair of headphones that deliver impeccable audio quality and can also take a beating thanks to their robust construction.
Unfortunately, on the other hand, Apple is not selling enough of them to believe that it needs to introduce a successor. The company obviously does not want to waste precious resources and manpower on a product that will not get any traction, which is why Apple’s employees are currently focused on devices that tend to sell in droves. For instance, the AirPods Pro 2 are not just significantly more affordable than the AirPods Max, as they are currently listed for $169 on Amazon, they also come with the better H2 chip that is aimed at delivering better Active Noise Cancellation, lowered latency, and increased range.
The lower price would explain why the AirPods Pro 3 are expected to launch later this year. The same AirPods Max we have been discussing are currently being sold on Amazon for $479.99 at their cheapest, and not everyone has the budget to undertake a purchase. While Gurman’s newsletter did not specifically mention when the next AirPods Max will arrive, Apple will likely take a couple of years to take that jump. For the time being, we should prepare ourselves for the AirPods Pro 3, which are reportedly said to arrive with more health-focused features and possibly a new in-house chipset.
