Apple has announced its latest offering; the AirPods Max which is its very own innovative wireless headphones offering in a market currently dominated by Bose and Sony via their current flagship products; the Bose 700 and the Sony XM4.
Essentially, it brings the user experience of the AirPods with an over the ear, custom acoustic design that sports high fidelity sound. It has an advanced software that powers computational audio, resulting in a never seen before listening experience with Adaptive EQ. Adaptive EQ gives users the ability to adjust the sound to the seal and fit of the ear cushions through the measuring of sound signals delivered to a user and adjusting the mid and low frequencies in real time. This results in the production of rich audio that captures every detail.
The AirPods Max has H1 Chips (which have 10 audio cores that are capable of 9 billion operations per second), Spatial Audio, a Transparency Mode, and Active Noise Cancellation (with this users can focus more on what they are listening to. Each ear cup features three microphones that face outward and detect noise in the environment, and one microphone inside the ear cup monitors the sound reaching the listener’s ear. By utilizing computational audio, the AirPod Max’s noise cancellation will continue to adapt to the wireless headphone’s movement and fit in real time).
For Transparency Mode, users can change to Transparency mode to listen to music while hearing the environment around them at the same time. This makes sure that everything, including the user’s own voice, will sound natural while audio continues to play perfectly. Moving between Transparency Mode and Active Noise Cancellation, can be carried out with a single press using the noise control button.
The Spatial Audio is used by the AirPods Max to virtually place sounds anywhere in a space via the help of dynamic head tracking. With the AirPods Max, all content recorded in 7.1, 5.2 and Dolby Atmos will be delivered in a theaterlike immersive way to users.
Spatial Audio monitors the movement of the users head and the wireless headphone too, via the Accelerometer and Gyroscope on iPad, iPhone, and AirPods Max. Once the movement is monitored, the data is then compared. Next the sound field gets remapped in such a way that it will stay anchored to the AirPods Max even when the user’s head moves.
While the AirPods Max by the Cupertino, California based technology giant; Apple are already available for order, the will not be available for purchase until Tuesday the 15th of December of 2020.
The Senior Vice President of Worldwide Marketing at Apple; Greg Joswiak said, “AirPods are the most popular headphones in the world, beloved for their effortless setup, incredible sound quality, and iconic design. With AirPods Max, we are bringing that magical AirPods experience to a stunning over-ear design with high-fidelity audio.”
Greg added that, “The custom acoustic design, combined with powerful H1 chips, and advanced software enable AirPods Max to use computational audio to wirelessly deliver the ultimate personal listening experience.”
Released photos show that every aspect of the AirPods Max (from the ear cushions to the canopy), has been carefully put together in a way that ensures that the acoustic experience for users will be one to remember.
It has a breathable knit mesh canopy that goes across its headband. The knit mesh canopy makes sure that the weight is evenly distributed and that on head pressure is reduced. Its stainless steel headband frame ensures that the AirPods Max s comfortable, strong, and flexible across various head sizes and shapes. Its telescoping headband arms extend with ease and always stay in place helping you get your desired fit.
On each ear the cup is attached to the headband via a revolutionary mechanism that distributes and balances the ear cup pressure, allowing each ear cup to rotate and pivot independently in a way or ways that fit each user’s head uniquely.
Its ear cushions use a memory foam that was acoustically engines to create an effective seal which is very essential when it comes to creating and delivering an immersive sound.
The AirPods Max’s Digital Crown which is inspired by the Apple Watch, offers users the ability to pause or play audio, control the volume, answer or end calls, skip tracks, and even activate Siri.
The wireless headphones come with a 40mm dynamic driver designed by Apple that gives users accurate mid ranges, a deep bass, along with clean and super crisp high frequency, ensuring that every note is heard.
It’s unique dual neodymium ring magnet motor ensures that the AirPods Max is able to execute a total harmonic distortion of less than 1 percent even when it is at maximum volume.
The AirPods Max will be joining the rest of its siblings in the AirPods family known worldwide as Apple’s answer to delivering audio wirelessly; listening to music, TV shows and movies, interacting with Siri, playing games, and even making and receiving phone calls.
The wireless headphones also support the one tap setup, and lets users automatically pair all the devices (iPads, iPhones, Apple Watches, Macs, Apple TVs, and iPad Touches), that are signed in to their iCloud account, with their AirPods Max.
The AirPods Max can automatically identify where it is exactly in the user’s head via position and optical sensors. What this means is that the headphones can pause audio immediately a user removes the headphones or even lifts one ear cup.
As a result of its beam forming microphones which block out ambient noises and focus on the user’s voice, Siri commands and voice calls, are clear and crisp.
In the Battery department, the AirPods gives users up to 20 hours of talk time, high fidelity audio, and even visual content playback with Spatial Audio and Active Noise Cancellation enabled.
It’s slim, soft Smart Case puts the wireless headphones in an ultra low power state that ensures that its battery level is preserved whenever it is not in use.
The AirPods Max has a feature called Audio Sharing. With Audio Sharing, users can share an audio stream between two different sets of AirPods on iPod touch, iPad, Apple TV 4K, and iPhone. All you need to do is place the AirPods Max close to the device and then connect with a single tap.
Another feature, is its Automatic Switching. This allows AirPods Max users, to switch sounds between Mac, iPhone, and iPad. With playing audio on Mac, users can also receive a call on their iPhone and the AirPods Mac will switch over automatically.
Thanks to Siri the AirPods Max apart from the making phone calls, playing music, getting directions, controlling the volume, etc, can also via Siri’s Announce Messages, read incoming messages when they arrive.
The AirPods Max is currently available for order from the official Apple website (www.apple.com), on the Apple Store application and in more than 26 countries and regions, for 549 United States Dollars (61,220 Kenyan Shillings). They will begin shipping officially, from Tuesday the 15th of December 2020.
Only devices running on tvOS 14.3 or later, iOS 14.3 or later, macOS Big Sur 11.1 or later, watchOS 7.2 or later, or iPadOS 14.3 or later, will be compatible with the AirPods Max.
Users are also given the option of adding personal engravings to their AirPods Max for free (also available for AirPods and AirPods Pro), via the official Apple website (www.apple.com), and the Apple Store application.
With the Apple Card, all users in the United States (US) will get 3 percent Daily Cash back whenever they purchase directly from Apple. Users also have the option to choose Apple Card Monthly Installments to enable them make the necessary payments over time, and without any interest.
With the AirPods Max Apple is once again reminding the world that it is a status symbol and luxury brand, and cementing that image.
With this being the very first generation, this writer is earnestly looking forward to what the subsequent generations of the AirPods Max, will bring to the table.
And that is all for the AirPods Max!
The AirPods Max comes in Sky Blue, Green, Pink, Silver, and Space Gray colours.
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