After a lifetime of rumors and leaks, Apple Play has finally announced the new AirPods Max – the first over-ear headphone to bear the AirPods name. They also have an eye-catching $ 549 price tag.
For that price you’d expect Apple’s Audio Dio technology, but it probably won’t. Despite the opposite rumors, the AirPods Max doesn’t come with Apple’s U1 chip.
For those who do not know, the U1 chip is designed for a specific mode of ultra wideband radio. This means that devices with a chip can detect their exact position relative to each other in the same room.
It has many uses including a quick handoff between the HomePod Mini and iPhones, quick airdrop sharing and the ability to unlock the car while your iPhone is still in your pocket.
In the AirPods Max, the U1 chip could be used to work out how the headphones are worn, so it would know which side is left or right without the need for separate drivers. It will also be able to connect with incoming airtags, which will help you find AirPods Max ever missing.
And if you think there’s one thing you want to find in a hurry, it would be a pair of $ 550 headphones.
Unfortunately, this is not the case, and it looks like the AirPods Max has the same H1 chip as the AirPods Pro. That’s not such a bad thing, as the H1 enables important features like an instant connection with the iPhone and Hay Siri support. In fact, the AirPods Max has two H1 chips inside, designed to help provide everything from adaptive EQ and local sound to active sound canceling on static audio dio.
There are also many other great features, including sensors on whether they’re worn (and pause when they don’t play), and dynamic head tracking for improved spatial audio audio.
So while this isn’t a big loss, it’s a shame that Apple Pal doesn’t have its latest and greatest technology price, not in the AirPods Max.
