March 24, 2025
UPDATE
AirPods Max Introduces Lossless Audio and Ultra-Low Latency
Next month, AirPods Max will be the first headphones enabling musicians to create and mix in Personalized Spatial Audio with head tracking.
A forthcoming software update will equip AirPods Max with lossless audio and ultra-low latency features, enhancing the listening experience and improving music production capabilities. With a provided USB-C cable, users can access high-fidelity audio for music, movies, and games, while music creators will benefit from improved tools for songwriting, beat-making, production, and mixing.
Experience Top-Tier Audio
This update unlocks 24-bit, 48 kHz lossless audio for AirPods Max, ensuring that the essence of original recordings is preserved, allowing listeners to experience music as artists intended. Apple Music subscribers can dive into over 100 million tracks available in lossless audio.
Enhanced Music Creation
With lossless and ultra-low latency audio, music creators can fully leverage AirPods Max throughout their professional workflow using Logic Pro and other music production apps. Thanks to the USB-C cable, these headphones will stand out as the only option that lets musicians create and mix in Personalized Spatial Audio with head tracking.1 The low latency and high-resolution audio will enable artists to record and mix seamlessly without sacrificing sound quality.
Immersive Gaming and Streaming
Gamers and livestreamers will also benefit from ultra-low latency audio, which drastically reduces lag and matches the performance of built-in speakers on Mac, iPad, and iPhone. This means an uninterrupted and immersive gameplay and streaming experience.
Pricing and Availability
- The lossless audio and ultra-low latency features will be available in April as a complimentary firmware update with iOS 18.4, iPadOS 18.4, and macOS Sequoia 15.4 for AirPods Max utilizing USB-C.
- AirPods Max are currently priced at $549 (U.S.) and are offered in five colors: midnight, starlight, blue, purple, and orange. They can be purchased at apple.com/store, the Apple Store app, or authorized resellers.
- A USB-C to 3.5 mm audio cable is available today for $39 (U.S.) through apple.com/store, the Apple Store app, and authorized resellers. This cable allows users to connect AirPods Max to 3.5 mm audio sources such as airplane audio-out ports, as well as connecting iOS or iPadOS devices to 3.5 mm audio ports in car stereos and other speakers.
- With AirPods Max, users can create and mix in Personalized Spatial Audio in Logic Pro for Mac. A compatible iPhone with a TrueDepth camera is necessary to establish a personal profile for Spatial Audio, which will sync across Apple devices running the latest OS versions, including iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and tvOS.
Press Contacts
Emily Ewing
Apple
e_ewing@apple.com
Apple Media Helpline
media.help@apple.com