Apple Is Finally Updating Airpods Max With Lossless And Ultra-low Latency Audio

No, pigs aren’t flying, hellhole hasn’t stiff complete and you (probably) haven’t won nan Powerball jackpot, but thing other astir arsenic unexpected is happening. Over 4 years aft it debuted AirPods Max, Apple is group to update them pinch long-overdue features. The institution is bringing lossless audio and ultra-low latency audio to nan overear headphones erstwhile it rolls retired iOS 18.4, iPadOS 18.4 and macOS Sequoia 15.4 in April.

It's nan first (and only major) update Apple has fixed nan AirPods Max extracurricular of starting to connection a exemplary pinch a USB-C charging larboard back successful September. And that's nan kicker: based connected nan wording successful Apple's press release, it seems nan update will only beryllium for nan USB-C type of nan AirPods Max, not nan original type pinch nan Lightning port. What's more, it appears that lossless audio and ultra-low latency audio whitethorn only beryllium disposable erstwhile you link nan headphones to an audio root via a USB-C cable. Engadget has asked Apple for confirmation.

As luck would person it, Apple is starting to waste a USB-C to 3.5mm cablegram today. It'll tally you $39. There will besides beryllium nan action to link your iOS aliases iPadOS instrumentality to speakers aliases car stereos that person 3.5mm audio ports pinch nan cable.

Still, you'll astatine past beryllium capable to perceive to 24-bit, 48 kHz lossless audio pinch AirPods Max. Lossless audio will besides beryllium compatible pinch Personalized Spatial Audio, Apple says. Apple Music subscribers tin perceive to much than 100 cardinal songs successful lossless audio.

The institution notes that, pursuing nan firmware update, "AirPods Max will go nan only headphones that alteration musicians to some create and operation successful Personalized Spatial Audio pinch caput tracking." It adds that nan ultra-low latency audio characteristic will let for nary consequence hold connected par pinch nan speakers built into Mac, iPad and iPhone devices. It suggests this characteristic could beryllium a boon for gamers and livestreamers.