6 ways the new AirPods Max could have been so much better

Jason Hiner/ZDNET

I love my AirPods Max. They sound fantastic, are a joy to use, and are a staple in my daily routine.

But after Apple’s recent refresh — if you can even call it that — I’m left scratching my head, wondering why Apple didn’t seize the moment to bring this product up to par with the innovation we expect. A few new colors and USB-C? That’s it?

The weight and comfort issue

First, the AirPods Max were originally released in December 2020. In tech terms, that’s practically ancient history. You’d think that after nearly four years, Apple would have found a way to make these headphones lighter and more comfortable.

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They are hefty at 13.6 ounces (386.2 grams); after prolonged use, you start feeling it. The weight is a serious barrier for many potential customers — almost as much as the premium price tag. Lighter competitors have figured this out, so why hasn’t Apple? The product’s weight remains unchanged from the original version, and no adjustments were made to improve comfort or portability.

Weight is not the only issue with the AirPods Max. Apple also missed an opportunity to improve the overall comfort and ergonomics. Users often experience discomfort due to heat buildup during prolonged use. Apple could have introduced better heat management or redesigned the ear cushions for improved airflow, making the headphones more comfortable for extended listening. Lighter materials or a redesign of the ear cushions could have significantly enhanced the user experience, especially considering the premium price.

Apple Intelligence and the health gap

Apple has been pouring resources into its AI-driven Apple Intelligence initiatives, focusing on features like personalization and productivity, and the Apple Watch has also received some minor AI/ML improvements, such as the Vitals app in WatchOS 11.

However, the Apple Watch shouldn’t be the only product in the company’s ecosystem that utilizes health sensors. Rumor has it that AirPods Pro 3 may have some health tracking capabilities. But for Airpods Max to have no health sensors at all? This is especially surprising given the larger form factor of the AirPods Max, which would provide more space for advanced sensors and health-focused innovations.

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Imagine if Apple had incorporated brainwave monitoring sensors — similar to those in Master & Dynamic’s MW-75 Neuro headphones — that track attention, focus, or cognitive health. These could have also extended beyond health monitoring into productivity features, helping users maintain focus or track cognitive engagement during tasks. This would have allowed Apple Intelligence to give users real-time feedback on their mental state and productivity. Instead, Apple failed to explore this direction, leaving a noticeable gap in the potential of its AI and health ecosystems.

One area where Apple did make strides is hearing health, but only in the AirPods Pro 2. Those in-ear devices now offer clinical-grade hearing aid support and an integrated hearing test with iOS 18. However, why not extend those features to the AirPods Max, which are more expensive and have a larger, more adaptable design?

The AirPods Max could have been the ideal platform for further advancing Apple’s hearing health tech, integrating enhanced hearing aid functionality or more sophisticated sensors for health monitoring. By ignoring these potential advancements, Apple missed a chance to truly innovate with its flagship headphones.

Apple’s reluctance to license health tech

Apple has a history of avoiding licensing third-party technology, often choosing to re-engineer it in-house, leading to repeated legal challenges. For example, AliveCor, the company behind the KardiaBand, sued Apple for patent infringement over its ECG technology in 2020. Though the International Trade Commission (ITC) initially ruled in AliveCor’s favor, the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) later invalidated some of AliveCor’s patents, which is still being appealed. In addition, AliveCor filed an antitrust lawsuit in 2021, accusing Apple of monopolistic practices in heart rate analysis.

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Similarly, Masimo, a medical device maker, sued Apple over the pulse oximetry technology in the Apple Watch. In 2024, the ITC ruled in Masimo’s favor, banning Apple from using that technology in future Watch models. These legal battles show Apple’s reluctance to collaborate, which likely influenced the decision not to license cutting-edge health tech like Neurable’s brainwave technology for the AirPods Max. This is a missed opportunity to push the boundaries of what its products — especially the AirPods Max — could offer in health monitoring, wellness, and productivity.

Minor improvements aren’t enough

Another significant omission from the AirPods Max refresh is any mention of battery life improvements. While the AirPods Max already offer up to 20 hours of listening time, advances in battery efficiency could have easily extended this figure, especially for a product of this size. Improved battery life or fast-charging capabilities would have made a tangible difference in the user experience, yet Apple seems to have overlooked this.

The only tangible improvement in this AirPods Max update is the addition of USB-C charging — a step forward for compatibility but far from groundbreaking. Wireless charging, already available in the AirPods Pro<!–>, remains absent, and MagSafe, which Apple has rolled out across most of its product line, is nowhere to be found here.

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With the AirPods Max’s larger size, Apple could have explored low-wattage wireless power transmission, an emerging technology used in vertical industries. This would have positioned the headphones at the forefront of innovation. However, the lack of meaningful upgrades to charging, weight reduction, or comfort improvements makes the new AirPods Max feel more like a placeholder than a truly new product.

Apple has improved the noise cancellation, offering up to 2x more Active Noise Cancellation than the AirPods Pro (1st generation) and AirPods (4th generation). The H1 chip used in the previous generation of headphones remains unchanged. While the sound quality is undoubtedly excellent, in a market where competitors like Sony, Bose, and Sonos are introducing new innovations, this isn’t enough to justify the $549 price tag — especially when health-related and AI-driven features remain absent.

Competitive landscape

While Apple has made incremental improvements, its competitors are innovating faster. Sony, Bose, and Master & Dynamic have all introduced features like enhanced comfort, advanced health tracking, and sound customization that Apple could have easily incorporated into the AirPods Max.

For example, Master & Dynamic’s partnership with Neurable<!–> shows a growing demand for focus-tracking and cognitive wellness tools, something that could easily fit into Apple’s Apple Intelligence ecosystem. Apple’s failure to address these growing trends puts it at a disadvantage in a market it once led.

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Apple also missed a key opportunity to compete with Sonos Ace–>, which is (partially) Wi-Fi-enabled and allows for much higher data rates than Bluetooth 5/6. By not making the AirPods Max AirPlay-enabled, Apple limited the headphones’ potential to provide higher-quality audio for users, especially for private listening in a larger space, like using them with an Apple TV 4K in a living room. The current model sometimes cuts out due to Bluetooth limitations, which could have been avoided with Wi-Fi or AirPlay support.

At $549, the AirPods Max remain one of the most expensive headphones on the market. However, with the lack of substantial updates, it’s difficult to justify this premium price. The original model from 2020 is still available, often selling for only $100 less<!–>, and renewed units–> can be found for even less. Without major innovations, the value proposition of the new AirPods Max is significantly weakened, especially as competitors offer similar or more advanced features at lower prices.