Apple announced a significant update to its premium headphones, the AirPods Max, bringing higher sound quality than ever before. In the update, expected to be released in April, Apple will enable full support for Lossless audio—original, uncompressed sound—via a USB-C connection. This means users will be able to enjoy rich, sharp, and highly precise audio, exactly as intended by the creators in the studio.
Until now, even the original Lightning model of the headphones did not fully support true Lossless due to analog signal conversion occurring when using a cable. Now, with official and optimal support for USB-C connectivity, Apple promises an audio experience that preserves the authentic quality of music, movies, and games.
According to Apple, the update will allow audio playback at 24-bit, 48kHz quality, including support for Personalized Spatial Audio—a technology that provides a personalized three-dimensional sound experience. Beyond sound quality, the update will also bring a dramatic reduction in latency, making the headphones a more precise and convenient tool for creators, music producers, gamers, and live streamers.
The update will be rolled out as part of the upcoming software updates: iOS 18.4, iPadOS 18.4, and macOS Sequoia 15.4. To use Lossless audio, users can connect via a USB-C to USB-C cable, but Apple is also offering a new cable for $39—USB-C to 3.5mm—with a braided design matching its latest cables.
This is significant news for high-quality sound enthusiasts, especially considering that until now, the $549 AirPods Max had not fully realized the potential of wired audio.