Apple announces AirPods Max 2 with H2 chip, 1.5 times more powerful ANC and live translation

Apple has announced AirPods Max 2the second generation of its over-ear headphones, powered by the H2 chip first introduced in airpods Pro 2. Orders open March 25 at $549with availability from early April. The headphones come in midnight, starlight, orange, purple, and blue.

Improved noise cancellation and transparency

The H2 chip enables ANC which Apple says is up to par 1.5x More effective than the first generation AirPods Max. A new digital signal processing algorithm also improves transparency modewhich according to Apple now sounds more natural when passing through ambient audio.

Improved audio quality and lossless support

AirPods Max 2 include a new high dynamic range amplifier. When connected via the included USB-C cable, the headphones support 24-bit, 48kHz lossless audio. Apple claims this makes them the only headphones that allow musicians to create and mix custom spatial audio with head tracking within Logic Pro and compatible apps.

Wireless audio latency has also been reduced, and Apple has seen improvements in gaming on iOS, macOS, and iPadOS.

New smart and AI-based features

Several AirPods Pro 2 capabilities come to AirPods Max for the first time with this generation:

• Adaptive Audio Automatically adjusts ANC and transparency levels based on the surrounding environment
• Conversation awareness reduces the media volume when the user starts talking to someone nearby
• Voice isolation Filters out ambient noise during calls using H2 Computational Audio
• Live translationpowered by Apple Intelligence, enables real-time in-person translation between languages
• Camera remote control allows users to trigger the iPhone or iPad camera shutter and start or stop video recording by pressing the Digital Crown

Additional features include loud sound reduction, custom volume, and Siri head gesture responses.

Prices and availability

AirPods Max 2 start in $549 in the United States and are available to order from March 25 through apple.com and the Apple Store application, with in-store availability and deliveries starting in early April in more than 30 countries.

AppleCare+ coverage is available for headphones. New subscribers will also be able to receive three months of Apple Music free with purchase.

Apple is focused on perfecting AirPods rather than redesigning them.

With better ANC, improved sound, and smarter features, Apple aims to keep its high-end headphones competitive, especially for users who want a combination of premium audio, smart features, and creative tools in a single device.