Apple AirPods Max 2 Launching in April with H2 Chip & Enhanced ANC
▼ Summary
– Apple has announced the AirPods Max 2, an updated version of its over-ear headphones, featuring an upgraded H2 chip.
– The new H2 chip enables significantly improved active noise cancellation, claimed to be 1.5 times more effective than the original model.
– Enhanced features include a more natural-sounding Transparency mode and new adaptive audio and Conversation Awareness functions.
– The headphones also gain support for live translation using Apple Intelligence and improved voice isolation for calls.
– Other updates include a Bluetooth upgrade from version 5.0 to 5.3, while the device retains the same five color options as its predecessor.
Apple’s highly anticipated second-generation AirPods Max have arrived, bringing a suite of significant upgrades centered around the powerful H2 chip. This new model promises a substantially refined listening experience, with enhanced active noise cancellation and smarter, more adaptive audio features that aim to set a new standard for premium over-ear headphones.
The headphones maintain the iconic design and are offered in the same five color options as the original model. The real transformation, however, happens internally. By moving from the H1 to the H2 chip, first introduced in the AirPods Pro 2, the new Max headphones gain a considerable leap in processing power and capability.
A major focus of this update is on improving noise control. Apple states that the combination of the H2 chip and new computational audio algorithms makes the ANC on the AirPods Max 2 up to 1.5 times more effective than the previous generation. The Transparency mode also receives an upgrade, designed to sound more natural through a new digital signal processing algorithm optimized for the H2 hardware.
This advanced chipset unlocks several intelligent features that make the headphones more context-aware. Adaptive Audio automatically blends Transparency and ANC levels based on your environment, while Conversation Awareness will lower your media volume when the microphones detect you are speaking to someone. For connectivity, the headphones now support Bluetooth 5.3, offering a spec bump from the original’s Bluetooth 5.0.
The H2 chip also enables sophisticated new communication tools. Live Translation leverages Apple Intelligence for real-time language translation directly through the headphones. Additionally, Voice Isolation uses advanced computational audio to clearly prioritize a caller’s voice during conversations, actively blocking out surrounding ambient noise for clearer calls.
(Source: Ars Technica)
