When Apple unveiled the AirPods Max last year, many expected significant upgrades, including support for lossless audio. However, these features were missing, and the headphones even lost support for wired connections for hi-res audio. Now, Apple is addressing this issue with a software update that brings full lossless audio support to the $549 headphones.
In a recent Apple Newsroom blog post, the company confirmed that they will be rolling out 24-bit, 48 kHz lossless audio support for the USB-C AirPods Max. They stated, “A new software update will bring lossless audio and ultra-low latency audio to AirPods Max, offering the ultimate listening experience and enhanced performance for music production.”
This upgrade will be made possible through a software update set to roll out in April. With this update, you’ll be able to enjoy the highest-quality audio by using the USB Type-C cable included with the AirPods Max. However, it’s important to note that this won’t enable wireless high-quality lossless music streaming, a feature available on the AirPods Pro.
The limitation stems from the AirPods Max still using the older H1 chipset rather than the newer H2 chipset. The firmware update will be available with iOS 18.4, iPadOS 18.4, and macOS Sequoia 15.4. This is still a significant development for AirPods Max owners, as they’ll now be able to enjoy high-fidelity audio at no additional cost.
