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Tag: Max

  • iFixit posts AirPods Max 2 teardown, cites H2 chips, similar repairability issues to first-gen model

    iFixit posts AirPods Max 2 teardown, cites H2 chips, similar repairability issues to first-gen model

    Once again, the super cool cats at iFixit have posted a full teardown of Apple’s newest device, this time issuing a report as to the newly-released AirPods Max 2, which are “basically the same” as the original AirPods Max headphones that came out in 2020.

    A comparison of the internal components of the ‌AirPods Max 2‌ and the USB-C AirPods Max indicate the headphones are identical, and opening them up requires the same steps. The only difference is the updated H2 chips inside each earcup.

    iFixit stated that Apple hasn’t addressed the common failure points found with the original AirPods Max, such as the condensation that can build up in the earcups in humid environments. Apple also has yet to make parts or repair manuals available. The company has also sugged that if Apple made instructions and components available through its self-service repair program and made the battery and USB-C port more accessible, the AirPods Max would be repairable and could have a much longer lifespan.

    Once again, the headphones have been given a repairability score of 6/10, which is identical to the first generation of the headphones.

    Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

    Via MacRumors, and iFixit (YouTube)

  • Apple discontinues the Mac Pro product line, offers no future plans for updated hardware

    Apple discontinues the Mac Pro product line, offers no future plans for updated hardware

    As much as you may love the Mac Pro towers, Apple felt differently as to the future of the product.

    Per 9to5Mac, Apple has confirmed that the Mac Pro is being discontinued and that no future models are planned in the future. The company removed the tower from its “buy” page on Apple’s website, and the former Mac Pro web page now redirects to other sections of the website.

    The Mac Pro has lived many lives over the years. Apple released the current Mac Pro industrial design in 2019 alongside the Pro Display XDR (which was also discontinued earlier this month). That version of the Mac Pro was powered by Intel, and Apple refreshed it with the M2 Ultra chip in June 2023. It has gone without an update since then, languishing at its $6,999 price point even as Apple debuted the M3 Ultra chip in the Mac Studio last year.

    At present, the Mac Studio is clearly set up as the “pro” desktop Mac. The unit can be configured with the M3 Ultra chip and a 32-core CPU, and an 80-core GPU, paired with 256GB of unified memory and 16TB of SSD storage.

    With the discontinuation of Mac Pro today, Apple now sells three desktop Macs:

    • 24-inch iMac with M4
    • Mac mini with M4 and M4 Pro
    • Mac Studio with M4 Max and M3 Ultra

    And three notebooks:

    • MacBook Neo
    • MacBook Air
    • MacBook Pro

    While this may break a number of hearts (including my own, I owned several Mac Pro towers over the years, and I loved upgrading them), the writing’s been on the wall for several years now and the time had come for Apple, in a true Steve Jobs fashion, to slash a product it didn’t need.

    Please let us know what you think in the comments.

    Via 9to5Mac

  • Apple opens pre-orders for AirPods Max 2 headphones, targets April 1st delivery date for U.S. customers

    Apple opens pre-orders for AirPods Max 2 headphones, targets April 1st delivery date for U.S. customers

    If you’re hankering for the Apple’s new AirPods Max 2 headphones, which were announced on March 16, Apple has just opened up its pre-orders page on the Apple.com website.

    In the U.S., Apple’s online store lists a delivery timeframe of April 1 to April 3.

    The AirPods Max 2 headphones are priced at $549 and feature the same design as the original AirPods Max headphones, but also incorporate the H2 chip, which adds new capabilities that are currently being offered by other AirPods models.

    The H2 chip delivers up to 1.5x better Active Noise Cancellation with computational audio algorithms that are better able to detect and mitigate outside sound. Real-time Live Translation is supported, and features like Adaptive Audio, Voice Isolation, Conversation Awareness, Loud Sound Reduction, and Personalized Volume are available.

    Other bells answered whistles include Bluetooth 5.3 support, a new high dynamic range amplifier that offers more consistent bass as well as more natural-sounding mids and highs, and improved localization of instruments. The new Transparency Mode sounds more natural than before, and the Digital Crown found on the headset can be used as a camera shutter for the iPhone or iPad.

    The headset uses a USB-C connection to charge with the battery lasting up to 20 hours in Active Noise Cancellation mode before needing to be recharged. Like the prior-generation USB-C model, the ‌AirPods Max 2‌ support 24-bit 48kHz lossless audio over USB-C, and ship with a Smart Case. Color options continue to include midnight, starlight, orange, purple, and blue.

    Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

    Via MacRumors and Apple

  • Apple announces AirPods Max 2 headphones with H2 chip, other new features

    Apple announces AirPods Max 2 headphones with H2 chip, other new features

    If you’re a fan of headphones, you’re going to like this.

    Apple on Monday unveled its AirPods Max 2 headphones, which boas the following new features along with the inclusion of the company’s H2 chip:

    • Adaptive Audio adjusts the levels of ANC and Transparency in response to the environment automatically to optimize the audio experience.
    • Conversation Awareness helps lower content volume and reduce background noise when a user starts speaking to someone nearby.
    • Live Translation, powered by Apple Intelligence, helps users communicate across languages in person.
    • Voice Isolation uses advanced computational audio powered by H2 to prioritize the voice during calls, while blocking out ambient noise.
    • AirPods Max 2 also support Personalized Volume, which adjusts the volume based on a combination of your surroundings and your volume preferences.

    With the H2 chip, Apple says the AirPods Max 2 deliver up to 1.5× more effective active noise cancellation than the previous generation, and it promised that the Transparency mode that lets in some ambient noise sounds even more natural.

    The new headphones continue to feature a USB-C port for charging and lossless audio, and Apple has advertised 20 hours of battery life on a single charge with active noise cancellation enabled, which is unchanged compared to the previous generation.

    Similar to the previous AirPods Max headphones, the AirPods Max 2 support 24-bit, 48 kHz lossless audio with the included USB-C cable, for the highest-quality wired playback. For wireless connectivity, AirPods Max 2 support Bluetooth 5.3, whereas the previous AirPods Max support Bluetooth 5.0. Once again, the available options for the unit remain Midnight, Starlight, Orange, Purple, and Blue.

    The AirPods Max 2 will become available to order on the Apple website and in the Apple Store app as of Wednesday, March 25, in the U.S. and 30 other countries, and will launch to other regions on an unspecified day in early April. The units will retail for the same $549 price point as the previous generation, which Apple has stopped selling.

    Finally, the AirPods Max 2 come with a Smart Case, which has the same design as it always has. The headphones enter an ultra-low-power state when placed in this carrying case, which is fairly important, as the headphones still lack a power button.

    Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

    Via MacRumors and Apple

  • Rumor: Apple developing “MacBook Ultra” notebook with OLED display and touchscreen to be released this year

    Rumor: Apple developing “MacBook Ultra” notebook with OLED display and touchscreen to be released this year

    If you’re hankering for the highest-end MacBook Pro, it may be en route.

    Per Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman and MacRumors, Apple is planning to launch a “MacBook Ultra” model this year that will feature an OLED display, touchscreen, and a higher price point.

    Gurman revealed the potential for this new notebook in his latest “Power On” newsletter, citing the potential for an M6 processor, OLED display, touchscreen functionality, and a thinner design that could be released in the fourth quarter of 2026 as a MacBook as opposed to a MacBook Pro.

    Instead of succeeding the newly announced M5 Pro and M5 Max MacBook Pros, the “MacBook Ultra” will be a new, top-tier Apple laptop. Gurman added that the device is likely to sit above the current M5 MacBook Pros, rather than replace them, suggesting that they will remain on sale.

    Gurman also noted that the machine, given its OLED display, could command a higher price point, which may see as much as a 20 percent increase (as was seen when Apple brought OLED displays to the iPhone X in 2017 and the iPad Pro in 2024). Should the rumor prove true, it would mark the first time an OLED display was found on a MacBook.

    Gurman also noted that this would fit into a broader trend at Apple, wherein the company is seeking to offer more models at different price points. To this end, the MacBook Neo has debuted at an unprecedented $599 price point to rival low-cost Windows and Chromebook devices. The same is occurring at the high-end, with more premium options available than ever before.

    Apple is also thought to be developing its first foldable iPhone, which could be available around a $2,000 price point, and feature a large inner display and under-display sensors, while also offering new AirPods priced above the current AirPods Pro at the top of the lineup with computer-vision cameras to feed Visual Intelligence data to Siri. Gurman even suggested that these products may be called the “iPhone Ultra” and “AirPods Ultra.”

    It’s unknown if the name “MacBook Ultra” is certain, and Gurman has apparently avoided calling it the MacBook Pro, instead dubbing it “the touch-screen and OLED high-end MacBook.”

    Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

    Via MacRumors and Bloomberg