In a surprise announcement on Monday, Apple unveiled AirPods Max 2, the long-awaited successor to its 2020 premium headphones.
The Max 2 costs $549 and features active noise cancellation, Apple’s audio-only H2 chip, support for live translation, better sound quality, and more. The headphones will be available for pre-order starting March 25th in Midnight, Starlight, Orange, Purple and Blue colors and are expected to be released early next month.
Apple says the new headphones’ active noise cancellation (ANC) is up to 1.5 times more effective than previous models. Adaptive audio capabilities also allow the headphones to automatically adjust ANC and transparency levels based on the user’s environment to optimize the listening experience.
The company says that thanks to new digital signal processing algorithms optimized for the H2 chip and AirPods Max microphone array, Transparency mode is more natural, allowing users to stay aware of their surroundings and the people around them.
The headphones come with a live translation feature that allows users to communicate directly across languages. It also has a voice isolation feature that uses “advanced computational audio” to prioritize your voice during calls and block out background noise.
Apple says AirPods Max 2 features a new high dynamic range amplifier for cleaner audio, and spatial audio is said to have improved instrument localization, improved bass response, and improved natural mids and treble.
The headphones also support Camera Remote, a feature that allows you to trigger your iPhone or iPad’s camera shutter from a distance. With Max 2, press the Digital Crown to take a photo or start and stop video recording in the Camera app or a compatible third-party camera app on your iPhone or iPad.
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Additionally, Apple says the headphones’ loud volume reduction feature helps protect users from loud environmental noise while preserving the character of the sounds they hear.
Apple says the headphones’ microphones will allow interviewers, podcasters, singers, and other creators to capture content with higher quality audio and more natural vocal textures.
AirPods Max 2 support 24-bit, 48 kHz lossless audio using the included USB-C cable.
Airpods Max 2 will be sold in more than 30 countries and regions.
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