Apple Just Launched $549 Headphones in Time for a Very Expensive Christmas

The AirPods Max noise-cancelling cans arrive as an expensive surprise

Apple just launched the $549 AirPods Max headphones
Apple just launched the $549 AirPods Max headphones
Apple

Just as AirPods are finally seeing a lot of nice (and frequent) deals, Apple’s here to remind us that they’re still a luxury brand.

The just-announced AirPods Max are over-ear headphones that promise “spatial audio for theater-like sound.” They supposedly also offer an ideal fit: The headband canopy is a lightweight, breathable knit mesh, while more mesh wraps the ear cushions, which feature memory foam and attach via magnets. Meanwhile, the telescoping arms will adjust (and stay adjusted) and your anodized aluminum ear cups rotate independently to balance pressure.

Add in a digital crown to control volume and summon Siri — a tactile nod to the Apple Watch — plus five colorways, adaptive audio that conforms to the fit and seal of each user’s ear cushions and active noise cancellation, and you have a really sharp looking and probably excellent sounding pair of headphones. Plus, it’s all powered by Apple’s H1 chip.

It’ll even “track” sound based on how you move your head, utilizing built-in gyroscopes and accelerometers. And even the smart case is cool.

The “but” here is the price. These are $549, or at least $200 more than high-end cans by Bose, Sony, etc.

The AirPods Max are available for pre-order now and are officially released on Dec. 15.

The InsideHook Newsletter.

News, advice and insights for the most interesting person in the room.