Reviewed by Meg Flores
When Apple first introduced the AirPods Max back in December 2020, they marked the company’s bold entry into the premium over-ear headphone market. Now, nearly five years later, we finally have concrete hints about what comes next, and spoiler alert: you are going to need a lot of patience.
Apple makes some of the best wireless earbuds and headphones on the market, yet its premium headphones have barely budged. The late 2024 refresh added USB-C and new colors while keeping the same internal hardware from 2020. Useful, sure, but it felt like housekeeping, not a leap forward.
Here is the twist. It has been almost five years since the AirPods Max debuted in December 2020, and the longer timeline reveals a broader strategy. Apple has been tuning the rest of the lineup, launching the AirPods 4 in September 2024 and the AirPods Pro 3 in September 2025, while letting its flagship headphones ride on software improvements instead of hardware revolutions.
Here is what we know about the future: significant changes are coming, just not soon.
What is driving the long development timeline?
Apple’s position in this category is unusual. The original AirPods Max are "too popular for Apple to stop selling them, and not popular enough for the company to invest a ton of time and money into creating a new version". That middle ground creates steady revenue at 549 dollars, which lowers the urgency to overhaul the hardware.
So Apple puts more engineering muscle behind higher volume products, then squeezes more value out of the Max. Look around and it makes sense. Sony and Bose ship new models almost yearly. Apple treats AirPods Max more like a luxury object with a longer refresh cycle, similar to high-end watches or pro audio gear.
Recent software updates back this up. A software update in March 2025 added support for 24-bit, 48 kHz Apple Lossless and Ultra-Low Latency Audio when using the AirPods Max connected via USB-C. Real gains, no new hardware.
The clearest timing comes from Ming-Chi Kuo. Production for the redesigned model will not begin until 2027. That suggests a launch in late 2027 or early 2028, a seven-year gap between generations. In consumer tech, that is an eternity.
The weight problem that needs solving
Let’s talk about the most common complaint. These headphones are heavy. The current AirPods Max weigh 386.2 grams, excluding the charging case. That much mass on your head adds up. Long flights, marathon editing sessions, even a commute, you feel it.
Why so hefty? Many competitors from Bose, Sony, and Beats are significantly lighter due to a plastic design. Apple’s aluminum build feels premium, but it costs you in portability. The mesh canopy headband design provides comfort, yet physics wins over time. The weight wears you down.
Kuo’s latest note goes right at the issue. Ming-Chi Kuo reported in May 2025 that Apple is working on a "lighter" version of the AirPods Max for release in 2027. No target weight yet, but the priority is clear. Apple knows this is not a minor gripe. It is a limiter on how many people can use these all day.
Users keep saying the same thing. Numerous complaints about the design of the AirPods Max, with a top request being a lighter design and a more protective case. For creators and musicians, the fatigue is not just comfort, it slows work. That is the kind of friction people remember.
Missing features that need catching up
Here is the part that stings. The AirPods Max lack features found on Apple’s cheaper earbuds. AirPods Max lack: H2 chip, Adaptive Audio, Conversation Awareness, Voice Isolation, Live Translation, water resistance, and Bluetooth 5.3. Pay more, get less, at least on the smart features sheet.
The bottleneck is hardware. AirPods Max still have the outdated H1 chip that Apple introduced in 2019. The headphones did not receive Apple’s H2 chip that debuted in the AirPods Pro 2 in 2022. Without that silicon, you hit a ceiling. No software update can fake real-time processing or the machine learning Apple leans on in newer buds.
The contrast is obvious in daily use. Adaptive Audio that tunes noise cancellation to your surroundings, Conversation Awareness that drops volume the moment you speak, those small touches make the device feel smarter. They are quality-of-life wins, not party tricks.
When the next version lands, they are expected to include either an H2 or potentially an H3 chip. That would unlock modern AirPods features. Apple is expected to address shortcomings in the AirPods Max 2 with an H2 or H3 chip, allowing support for features like Active Noise Cancellation and Adaptive Transparency Mode. Frankly, they should have been there from the start of this cycle.
The reality of waiting until 2027
Here is the hard part. According to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the new AirPods Max will not enter production until 2027. That points to a release that could slip into 2028. Not next year. Not the one after. Three or four years from now.
A long runway gives Apple options. By 2027, we might see advanced AI-driven audio personalization, possibly tapping Apple Intelligence for real-time tuning. Materials could improve too, solving the weight without losing the premium feel that separates the Max from plastic rivals.
The risk, though, is obvious. Sony is shipping new noise canceling gains and better battery life. Bose keeps polishing comfort and call quality. If Apple sits tight, it hands share to brands that refresh on a steady beat.
For current buyers, that timeline changes the math. The 2024 refresh disappointed some because it showed Apple prefers software tune-ups over new internals. If you buy now, you are accepting essentially the same hardware for most of a decade. That is a commitment.
What this means for your audio setup
So what should you do? The current AirPods Max are not bad. Far from it. They deliver strong noise cancellation, excellent sound, and the kind of tight Apple integration that makes devices feel like they belong together. The Apple AirPods Max offer up to 20 hours of battery life, which covers cross-country flights and long workdays.
Recent software helped too. The March 2025 USB-C lossless update is the sort of upgrade that extends a product’s life, especially if you listen to high-quality sources. There is a catch. Only USB-C models benefit, which leaves Lightning owners on the outside.
Waiting has a cost. Adaptive Audio and Conversation Awareness change how headphones behave in the real world. Skipping those for several more years means giving up conveniences competitors already deliver.
Price complicates things further. The AirPods Max cost 549 dollars. That sits at the top of the market, where people expect the latest features as table stakes. Whether the 2027 model holds the line, climbs higher, or shifts strategy is still a question mark.
If you live deep in the Apple ecosystem and mostly listen in shorter stretches, the current Max still make sense. They feel premium, play nicely with your devices, and sound great. If you need all-day comfort and the newest smart features, waiting might be the better move, provided you have a stand-in for the next few years.
In the end, the timeline says a lot about Apple’s product philosophy. iPhone gets annual churn. AirPods Max get longevity and refinement. Luxury accessory or pro tool, take your pick. The 2027 model has to cash the check this strategy has been writing for years.
Image via Apple
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