Apple announces AirPods Max over-ear headphones for $549

Details: The AirPods Max borrow styling cues from the Apple Watch, specifically the Digital Crown, which is used on the headphones to control volume, manage tracks, answer phone calls and activate Siri. The headband consists of a stainless steel frame wrapped in a soft-to-the-touch material while both the canopy and ear cushions feature a breathable mesh textile. Apple said the ear cups are made of anodized aluminum and connect to the headband via telescoping arms.

Apple on Tuesday formally introduced the AirPods Max, the long-rumored over-ear headphones from the popular tech brand.

Billed as the magic of AirPods in an over-ear design, Apple’s new headphones are a wireless set of cans featuring 40mm Apple-designed dynamic drivers. Each ear cup packs a wealth of tech including an H1 chip, an optical sensor, a position sensor, a cast-detect sensor and an accelerometer. Nine total microphones handle active noise cancellation and voice pickup duties.

Battery life is rated at up to 20 hours of high-fidelity audio, talk time or movie playback with Active Noise Cancellation and spatial audio enabled. A five-minute recharge will net you an additional 1.5 hours of listening time, we are told.

Apple’s new AirPods Max are offered in five colors including grey, silver, blue, pink and green, and are available to order from today. Expect to pay a lofty $549 for the opportunity (for comparison, standard AirPods start at $159 while AirPods Pro command $249). Look for them to ship on December 15.