AirPods Max 2 vs AirPods Max: 10 Things That Have Changed In The New Apple Headphones
· Free Press Journal
Apple is having quite the month. The Cupertino giant has been on a quiet but relentless product blitz - rolling out a refreshed MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, iPad Air, and the brand-new MacBook Neo, all while dropping the budget-friendly iPhone 17e for entry-level buyers who want a piece of the Apple ecosystem. For a company that prides itself on "one more thing" moments, this has been more like ten more things. And it isn't done yet.
Apple has now officially announced the second generation of its flagship over-ear headphones - the AirPods Max 2. The new model arrives more than five years after the original AirPods Max debuted. In India, pre-orders open on March 25, with availability expected in early April. So what exactly has changed? Here are 10 things that are different this time around.
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1. AirPods Max 2 vs AirPods Max: Price in India
The AirPods Max 2 carry a price tag of Rs. 67,900 in India. The outgoing AirPods Max (the 2024 USB-C refresh) was priced at Rs. 59,900 - making the new model Rs. 8,000 more expensive. That's a notable jump for a product that looks, externally, almost identical to its predecessor.
Apple Unveils AirPods Max 2 With H2 Chip, New AI Features: Priced In India At ₹67,9002. AirPods Max 2 vs AirPods Max: Chip H1 out, H2 in
The biggest under-the-hood change is the silicon. The original AirPods Max used two H1 chips — one in each ear cup. The AirPods Max 2 gets the new H2 chipset, which was first introduced with the AirPods Pro 2 and also powers the AirPods Pro 3. This upgrade is the foundation for virtually every new feature on this list.
3. AirPods Max 2 vs AirPods Max: Active Noise Cancellation
Apple claims the AirPods Max 2 delivers up to 1.5x more effective Active Noise Cancellation compared to the previous generation, with improved computational audio algorithms designed to better reduce background noise from environments like airplanes or public transit. The original model already had strong ANC, but this is a meaningful step forward for frequent travellers.
4. AirPods Max 2 vs AirPods Max: Adaptive Audio
The AirPods Max 2 introduces Adaptive Audio - a mode that automatically adjusts the balance between ANC and Transparency modes based on the user's surrounding environment. This feature was not available on the original AirPods Max and brings the over-ear headphones in line with what AirPods Pro users have been enjoying for a while.
5. AirPods Max 2 vs AirPods Max: Live Translation
A major new addition is Live Translation, which can translate in-person conversations in real time when paired with an Apple Intelligence-enabled iPhone. This makes the AirPods Max 2 genuinely useful for international travel and multilingual workplaces - something the original never offered.
6. AirPods Max 2 vs AirPods Max: Lossless Audio Support
For the first time, the AirPods Max 2 supports 24-bit, 48kHz lossless audio when connected via USB-C, aimed at users who want higher fidelity sound for music production or high-resolution playback. The original AirPods Max had no lossless audio capability, wired or otherwise.
7. AirPods Max 2 vs AirPods Max: Bluetooth version
Wireless connectivity has been upgraded to Bluetooth 5.3 on the AirPods Max 2, which reduces latency - a critical improvement for gamers and professional editors. The original AirPods Max ran on an older Bluetooth standard, making this a meaningful upgrade for low-latency use cases.
8. AirPods Max 2 vs AirPods Max: Camera remote
A new camera remote feature allows users to press the Digital Crown to take photos or control video recording from a distance when using the Camera app or compatible third-party camera apps on iPhone or iPad. This is an entirely new function that the original AirPods Max never had, adding a creator-friendly dimension to the headphones.
9. AirPods Max 2 vs AirPods Max: Voice Isolation & Conversation Awareness
The H2 chip enables Conversation Awareness, which automatically lowers media volume and reduces background noise when the user begins speaking to someone nearby, and Voice Isolation, which prioritises the user's voice during phone calls while actively blocking out ambient noise. Neither of these features existed on the first-generation AirPods Max.
Apple Quietly Launches 5 New Products Without A Keynote: Here’s Everything Announced This Week10. AirPods Max 2 vs AirPods Max: New smart listening features
The AirPods Max 2 also adds Loud Sound Reduction 0 which limits exposure to excessive environmental noise while maintaining listening quality - and Personalised Volume, which automatically adjusts audio levels based on a user's listening preferences over time. Additionally, users can now respond to Siri announcements non-verbally by nodding "yes" or shaking their head "no" - a hands-free interaction mode that's as useful as it is futuristic.
The AirPods Max 2 are available in Midnight, Starlight, Blue, Purple, and Orange. Pre-orders open March 25 on the Apple India website.