Don’t Expect to See New AirPods Max at iPhone 16 Launch

In addition to the iPhone 16 and new Apple Watch, Apple’s event next Monday will bring news to the Apple catalog. AirPods. There has been talk for some time about the release of two cheaper models – that is, not Pro – one of which will have active noise cancellation. There are also rumors about the possible introduction of updated ones. AirPods Maxalthough they may not ultimately be part of the presentation.

According to Mark Gurman of BloombergApple is working on an update to the AirPods Max that will be released this year. However, unlike other leaks that suggested the earbuds could be upgraded to the H2 chip — the same as the AirPods Pro — and get Bluetooth 5.3 or 5.4 and more, the changes that will be made will be quite minor.

The well-known journalist notes that the next AirPods Max may come with a USB-C port instead of Lightning to comply with European regulations, and in new colors. And nothing more. As for when they might be announced, there is no exact data. However, the above estimates may not happen at iPhone 16 event because there are still very few of the current version of the headphones in stock.

If what Gurman mentions is true, next Monday’s AirPods-related news could be limited to the introduction of new, fourth-generation base models. They’re expected to feature a similar design to the AirPods Pro and replace the AirPods 2 and AirPods 3 in Apple’s catalog. While they’ll share a few features, one variant will offer ANC and a speaker in the case to make it easier to find via Find My.

What about AirPods Max?

Since the launch of the AirPods Max in 2020, we have seen countless rumors about an update in recent years. However, they have never materialized. Throughout 2023, there have been several rumors that Apple could release a new version this year, and there have even been suggestions that they could be AirPods Max 2.

As we’ve previously noted, the most talked about supposed improvements have been an upgrade to the H2 chip and a newer version of Bluetooth, such as a change to the USB-C port. But Gurman has been saying for some time that while it will launch in 2024, update AirPods Max It will be much less than many predict..

In fact, earlier this year, a journalist from Bloomberg posted on X (Twitter) that AirPods Max 2 does not exist as such at this point. And that, apart from USB-C and new colors, Apple has no plans for other modifications or promoted the update as a new generation of headphones.

So is the announcement of new AirPods Max along with the iPhone 16 completely out of the question? Apple is Apple, and nothing can be thrown out completely. But if the company hasn’t made any truly significant changes to these earbuds yet, it’s worth considering that an updated USB-C version could be unveiled later, without the need for an event. And if they do appear among the announcements next Monday, their presence could be quite limited. We’ll see what happens.

iPhone 16 presentation will take place September 9 at Apple Park in Cupertino, California. It starts at 10:00 AM Pacific Time — 7:00 PM Spain — and we’ll tell you everything that’s announced here. Hypertext.