Apple、H2チップ搭載の新型AirPods Max 2を発表 Apple introduces AirPods Max 2

Apple has announced AirPods Max 2, the long-awaited successor to its premium over-ear wireless headphones first launched in late 2020. The headline upgrade is the move from the original H1 chip to the newer H2 silicon, which Apple credits for meaningful gains in active noise cancellation, transparency mode, and spatial audio processing.

The H2 chip already powers AirPods Pro 2, where it enables features such as Adaptive Audio, Conversation Awareness, and personalized spatial audio with head tracking. Bringing the same silicon to the Max line should allow these computational audio features to extend to the over-ear form factor, likely with even better results given the larger drivers and acoustic chambers. Apple's emphasis on lossless and low-latency audio, particularly in tandem with Vision Pro, also suggests the Max 2 is being positioned as a flagship listening device for the company's broader media ecosystem.

A notable hardware change is the shift from Lightning to USB-C charging. This aligns with Apple's company-wide transition that began with iPhone 15, driven in part by the European Union's common charger directive. Reports also point to refreshed colorways and minor refinements to the headband mesh and ear cushions, though the core aluminum-and-steel industrial design appears largely unchanged.

Spatial audio remains a central pillar of the pitch. Combined with dynamic head tracking, it is designed to deliver an immersive, theater-like experience across Apple Music, Apple TV+, and Vision Pro content. Competitors are not standing still: Sony's WH-1000XM6 and Bose's QuietComfort Ultra have both raised the bar on ANC quality and 3D audio, while Sonos and Bowers & Wilkins are pushing further into the premium wireless segment. The high-end headphone category, which had cooled somewhat, is once again a focal point of audio innovation.

For Apple, AirPods Max 2 is less about chasing specs and more about tightening integration across its hardware-software stack. Seamless pairing, Find My support, audio sharing, and automatic device switching remain key differentiators that competitors struggle to match outside their own walled gardens. The long five-year gap between generations also signals that Apple views the Max line as a halo product rather than a frequently iterated one.

Key questions remain around pricing, battery life improvements, and whether Apple has finally added a true low-power or off state to address long-standing complaints about the original model's smart case. Independent reviews and teardown analyses in the coming weeks will likely determine how meaningful the H2 upgrade feels in everyday use, and whether the Max 2 can justify its premium positioning against an increasingly capable field of rivals.