Introduction to the Update

No, pigs aren’t flying, hell hasn’t frozen over, and you probably haven’t won the Powerball jackpot, but something nearly as unexpected is happening. Over four years after the debut of AirPods Max, Apple is set to update them with long-overdue features. The company is bringing lossless audio and ultra-low latency audio to the over-ear headphones when it rolls out iOS 18.4, iPadOS 18.4, and macOS Sequoia 15.4 in April.

Details of the Update

This is the only major update Apple has given the AirPods Max so far, outside of starting to offer a model with a USB-C charging port back in September. And that’s the kicker: the update will only be for the USB-C version of the AirPods Max, not the original version with the Lightning port. This is due to technical constraints on the Lightning model, such as digital-to-analog converter performance.

Availability of Lossless Audio

What’s more, lossless audio and ultra-low latency audio won’t be available in wireless mode. To take advantage of these features, you’ll need to connect the headphones to an audio source via a USB-C cable. As luck would have it, Apple is starting to sell a USB-C to 3.5mm cable today. That will run you $39. There will also be the option to connect your iOS or iPadOS device to speakers or car stereos that have 3.5mm audio ports with the cable.

Features of the Update

Still, you’ll at last be able to listen to 24-bit, 48 kHz lossless audio with AirPods Max, as long as you have the USB-C model. Lossless audio will also be compatible with Personalized Spatial Audio, Apple says. Apple Music subscribers can listen to more than 100 million songs in lossless audio.

Technical Specifications

The company notes that, following the firmware update, "AirPods Max will become the only headphones that enable musicians to both create and mix in Personalized Spatial Audio with head tracking." It adds that the ultra-low latency audio feature will allow for no response delay on par with the speakers built into Mac, iPad, and iPhone devices. It suggests this feature could be a boon for gamers and livestreamers.

Update Notice

Update March 24, 12:08PM ET: Added clarification that lossless and ultra-low latency audio will only be available on the USB-C version of AirPods Max and only in wired mode.