The AirPods Max, despite their high price and premium features, face an uncertain future due to limited updates from Apple. Analyst Mark Gurman suggests their niche market doesn't justify significant investment, yet they aren't underperforming enough to be discontinued.
This places the AirPods Max in a unique position within Apple's product lineup. Unlike other niche products like the Mac Pro, Apple TV, or Vision Pro, the AirPods Max haven't seen consistent updates. The situation mirrors the HomePod, which also experienced a lull in development.
A key issue is that cheaper AirPods models, such as the AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4, offer more advanced features. These include Hearing Aid, Adaptive Audio, Conversation Awareness, and even the simple "Hey Siri" command, which the AirPods Max lacks. This creates a significant value disparity, with the AirPods Max priced at $549 compared to $249 for AirPods Pro 2 and $129 for AirPods 4.
While a simple upgrade to the H2 chip could bring the AirPods Max in line with other AirPods models, it remains unclear whether Apple will invest in such an update. This leaves the AirPods Max in a precarious position, outperformed by its own siblings. For more on Apple products, check out the 9to5Mac Daily updates, explore Mac SSD upgrades, or consider iPad Pro deals.