Apple’s $549 AirPods Max 2 add better ANC and live translation

Apple has just announced the AirPods Max 2 with better noise cancellation and sound quality. The second generation of Apple’s over-ear headphones starts at $549 and comes equipped with an H2 chip that powers a bunch of new features, including AI-powered live translation, which translates speech to your preferred language in real-time. As noted by Apple, the AirPods Max 2 offer active noise-cancellation that’s 1.5 times more effective when compared to the original AirPods Max, which launched in 2020. The AirPods Max 2 also add conversation awareness, a feature that lowers volume when someone starts speaking nearby; voice isolation to prioritize your voice and reduce background noise during phone calls; and a feature to automatically lower loud sounds in your environment. [Image: https://platform.theverge.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/airpods-max-hero-select-202409.jpeg?quality=90&strip=all] [Image: https://platform.theverge.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/airpods-max-202409-gallery-1.jpeg?quality=90&strip=all] [Image: https://platform.theverge.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/airpods-max-202409-gallery-2.jpeg?quality=90&strip=all] [Image: https://platform.theverge.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/airpods-max-202409-gallery-3.jpeg?quality=90&strip=all] [Image: https://platform.theverge.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/airpods-max-202409-gallery-4.jpeg?quality=90&strip=all] [Image: https://platform.theverge.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/airpods-max-202409-gallery-5.jpeg?quality=90&strip=all] The AirPods Max 2 support 24-bit, 48kHz lossless audio when connected with a USB-C cable — two features that Apple added to its first-generation AirPods Max years after their launch. Similar to their predecessor, the AirPods Max 2 also support up to 20 hours of listening time on a single charge. Transparency mode, which allows you to hear your surroundings while wearing the headphones, also sounds “more natural” with the AirPods Max 2, according to Apple. There’s a camera remote feature, too, which allows you to press the headphones’ digital crown to take a photo or start a recording, as well as a personalized volume capability that “automatically fine-tunes the listening experience” based on your preferences over time. You can also now respond to Siri by nodding or shaking your head. Apple previously added these features to its AirPods. [Image: https://platform.theverge.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/Apple-AirPods-Max-2-lifestyle.jpg?quality=90&strip=all] The AirPods Max 2 come in blue, purple, beige, orange, and a “midnight” color that looks like a dark blue-gray. You can preorder the headphones starting on March 25th, with availability starting “early next month.” Correction, March 17th: An earlier version of the article stated the AirPods Max 2 come in black, but they actually come in a dark blue-gray “midnight.”