Apple recently released two iterations of AirPods 4 and a tweaked version of AirPods Max with USB-C. Cupertino now focuses on launching AirPods Pro 3 in 2025, while rumors about the AirPods Max 2 release date leave us with little hope.
With the original headphones released at the end of 2020, an upgrade is long overdue, but when could this happen? Here’s everything we know about the future AirPods Max 2 and other AirPods models.
AirPods Max 2: What does the rumor say?
For a while, Bloomberg reported that Apple was planning new colors for the first-gen AirPods Max. Here’s what Mark Gurman said in May 2021:
“Apple only recently caught up with demand for the product, and it is not currently working on a second generation of the AirPods Max, though it has discussed launching additional color variations in the future.“
After that, the journalist said in 2023 that Apple was indeed working on AirPods Max 2 for a late 2024 release, which eventually became a tweaked AirPods Max 1 with new colors and USB-C.
In one of his November 2024 Power On newsletters, Gurman wrote that Apple has “no concrete plans” to update the headphones “in a meaningful way.” The journalist believes Cupertino will keep them the way they are “for the foreseeable future in their current form.” The main reason is slow sales, which doesn’t make an upgrade enticing for any Apple team to develop.
Still, if AirPods Max 2 ever gets a release date, it might be upgraded with a better audio chip, AirPods Pro’s latest features, and even wired Lossless support, which recently was made available for the USB-C AirPods Max.
AirPods Pro 3 could add health features
According to Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman, Apple aims to release AirPods Pro 3 by 2025. This product could add several health features related to hearing aids and temperature measurement. With a recent hearing test feature and the ability to use AirPods Pro 2 as a hearing aid device, it’s likely that Apple will improve these functionalities with a third iteration.
Other reports suggest Apple is working on AirPods Pro with a camera to help the device determine body temperature via a wearer’s ear canal. If that turns out to be true, that will be more accurate than the Apple Watch’s wrist temperature measurement. AirPods Pro 3 could even hint at possible cold or other illnesses with these readings.
These new earbuds will likely be redesigned and get a new chip. One of the new health features expected is a heart rate sensor, as this has been made available with the Powerbeats Pro 2. Whether Apple will upgrade from the technology available on Beats earbuds is still unclear, but it’s coming to the company’s Pro earbuds. Besides that, some AirPods Pro 2 features could hint at what a new generation could have.
AirPods 5: Do we really know anything about them?
In late 2024, Apple released two AirPods 4 models, ditching both AirPods 3 and AirPods 2 from the lineup. While these earbuds are pretty similar, a high-end version offers wireless charging, ANC, and better Find My support in the charging case. Still, both earbuds feature Apple’s H2 chip, up to 30 hours of battery life, and USB-C support.
It’s unclear what AirPods 5 could have, as we still have to follow how well this new generation will sell. BGR will let you know once we learn more about Apple’s future plans. However, we expect it to eventually feature Apple’s H3 chip and improved features.
AirPods Lite could be a new addition to the lineup
During AirPods 4 development, analysts Jeff Pu and Ming-Chi Kuo suggested Apple was readying an “AirPods Lite” device to compete with cheaper wireless earbuds. BGR believes this product was the cheaper AirPods 4.
Still, Apple might be planning something different, and we’ll update this story if we hear anything else.
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