Apple unveiled AirPods Max 2 earlier this week, with lots of new features to entice upgrades from prior AirPods Max models. If you’re on the fence about AirPods Max 2, you should know that another new model might be coming next year.

The original AirPods Max launched all the way back in 2020, and Apple’s only revision since then changed nothing but the port and colors.

But this week, Apple finally announced a proper successor: AirPods Max 2.

AirPods Max 2 look the same as the prior model on the outside, but come with a bunch of internal improvements. The H2 chip and new amplifier enable upgrades like:

• improved audio quality
• up to 1.5x better Active Noise Cancellation
• more natural sounding Transparency mode
• Live Translation support
• Adaptive Audio, Conversation Awareness, and a lot more

If you’re on the fence about an upgrade, know that another new model might arrive as early as next year.

Last spring, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported that Apple was planning a new AirPods Max model for 2027 with a lighter weight design than its predecessor.

It’s always possible Apple’s timeline has been pushed back. But since AirPods Max 2 don’t change anything about the design, it seems plausible that a new ‘AirPods Max 3’ model could still be planned for next year with a design refresh.

It would be unusual for Apple to have another AirPods Max model ready so soon. But the company is also expected to launch a high-end AirPods Pro model this year, even though AirPods Pro 3 just arrived last fall.

So if you’re unsure whether to pre-order AirPods Max 2 when they go on sale next week, be mindful that another model may or may not be coming in the next 18 months or so.

Are you upgrading to AirPods Max 2, or will you hold off for a potential lighter weight model? Let us know in the comments.

• AirPods Pro 3 (now only $199, down from $249)
• 10-year AirTag battery case 2-pack
• MagSafe Car Mount for iPhone
• Apple’s new AirTag 2 (1-pack / 4-pack)
• 100W USB-C fast charging power adapter