AirPods Max Turns Five, But Apple’s Premium Headphones Show Their Age
Apple’s premium over-ear headphones, AirPods Max, have completed five years in the market, raising questions about their value in 2025 as they continue to rely on aging technology and sell at their original premium price.
Launched on December 15, 2020, AirPods Max marked Apple’s entry into the high-end headphone segment. Initially rumoured as AirPods Studio, the product debuted through a surprise press release and saw heavy demand, leading to extended shipping delays. Even today, the headphones retail at $549 globally, with prices in India hovering around ₹59,900.
At launch, AirPods Max impressed users with a distinctive mesh headband, magnetic ear cushions, Active Noise Cancellation, Transparency mode, Spatial Audio and seamless Apple ecosystem integration via the H1 chip. However, five years on, that same H1 chip from 2019 remains at the core of the product.
Criticism has steadily grown over durability concerns and missing modern features. Users have reported condensation forming inside ear cups, declining noise cancellation performance, headband wear and tear, and the impractical Smart Case design. More importantly, AirPods Max lack newer software-driven features now standard across Apple’s audio lineup, including Adaptive Audio, Personalized Volume and Conversation Awareness.
Apple’s 2024 refresh failed to address these issues, offering only USB-C charging and new colour options without any meaningful hardware upgrades. According to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, a lighter second-generation AirPods Max with a newer chip and improved battery life may not arrive until 2027.
With competitors advancing rapidly and offering better value, industry watchers suggest buyers may be better off waiting rather than investing in Apple’s aging flagship headphones.
Our Thoughts
AirPods Max remains stylish and well-integrated within Apple’s ecosystem, but five years without a real upgrade is unusual even by Apple’s standards. Until a next-generation model arrives, the headphones feel more like a luxury legacy product than a future-ready investment.