Apple unveils second-generation AirPods Max at $549

Apple on Monday unveiled the second generation of its ​premium AirPods Max over-ear headphones at $549, ‌more than five years after ​the first version’s launch.

The update ⁠marks Apple’s first major refresh of the over-ear headphones since their 2020 debut, ‌as the company adds new features and improved noise ‌cancellation to compete more aggressively ‌in ⁠the premium headphones market.

Currently, ⁠the segment is largely dominated by Japan’s Sony Group, Bose and Sennheiser. Powered by Apple’s ​in-house H2 ‌chip, which runs the latest range of AirPods devices, the new headphones will be available to order ‌from March 25 in more ​than 30 countries, with retail availability beginning early next ⁠month, the company said.

Upgrades to the AirPods Max 2 include better ‌active noise cancellation, an improved microphone system and a range of new features including Adaptive Audio, Conversation Awareness and Live Translation.

Live translation, first introduced on the ‌AirPods Pro 3 in September, enables users to ​translate in-person conversations across languages using Apple Intelligence, the ⁠company’s artificial intelligence platform.

AirPods Max 2 also ⁠supports high-resolution lossless audio when connected via USB-C, targeting music ‌creators and professional users who require higher fidelity audio, Apple said.