AirPods Max 2 Add iOS 27 Custom EQ as Amazon Cuts Price to $399

Q: Is Apple's $150 price cut a true bargain, or a sign its premium headphones are struggling against rivals?

It looks more like a genuine bargain for Apple users than clear evidence of a product in trouble, though the discount also reflects intense competition at the top end of the headphone market. At $399, the AirPods Max 2 are down roughly $150 from their $549 launch price, which is unusually aggressive for a current Apple product. That matters because the headphones have just received a meaningful 2026 update with the H2 chip, and iOS 27 is about to add exclusive features such as Custom EQ. They already offer Apple-only advantages including Conversation Awareness, Adaptive Audio, Live Translation, strong Siri integration, top-tier transparency mode and class-leading noise cancellation. The case for caution is that rivals remain formidable. Sony and Bose still beat Apple on battery life, portability, weight and, in some cases, value. AirPods Max 2 are heavy at 13.6 ounces, last about 20 hours with ANC, and remain most compelling only inside Apple’s ecosystem. For Android or mixed-device users, competing models often make more financial sense even before discounts. So the price cut is best read as both an opportunity and a strategic response. It does not by itself show Apple is struggling; premium headphones across the market are frequently discounted during major retail pushes. But it does suggest Apple recognizes that, at full price, the AirPods Max 2 face tougher value comparisons against Sony and Bose than their premium branding alone can overcome.

Q: Does this timely discount and software update signal a new product is already on the horizon for late 2026?

No. The discount and the iOS 27 feature rollout do not, on the available evidence, point to another new AirPods Max arriving in late 2026. The stronger reading is that Apple is trying to boost the appeal of the current AirPods Max 2, which was only substantially updated earlier in 2026 with the H2 chip. The new iOS 27 features, including Custom EQ and deeper Siri improvements, are designed to extend the value of that hardware, not to clear the way for an immediate successor. That fits Apple’s pattern with AirPods Max. The original model launched in 2020, got only a minor USB-C and color refresh in 2024, and did not receive a major internal upgrade until 2026. Several of the provided reports explicitly say Apple does not update the AirPods Max frequently and that another refresh is not expected anytime soon. The $399 Amazon price also looks more like a promotional or channel discount than a reliable launch signal. AirPods Max discounts have appeared regularly, and the searched material does not tie this sale to any late-2026 replacement. There are broader rumors about Apple devices coming in late 2026 and 2027, and some long-range speculation about future premium audio products such as an “AirPods Ultra.” But nothing in the supplied reporting indicates a near-term AirPods Max 3 or another over-ear replacement this year. For now, the evidence suggests Apple is monetizing a fresh 2026 update with new software benefits, not telegraphing a second refresh just months later.

3 articles · Updated · 9to5Mac · Jun 23

$399 AirPods Max 2 are gaining two iOS 27 perks that older AirPods Max cannot fully match: Custom EQ and support for the shorter “Siri” voice trigger.
Custom EQ requires Apple’s H2 chip, letting users tune low, mid and high frequencies in AirPods settings; the older 2020 model lacks that chip and misses the feature.
The H2-based model already supports saying “Siri” instead of “Hey Siri,” a difference that could matter more as iOS 27 expands Siri’s AI features.
Those additions build on other Max 2-only tools such as Conversation Awareness, Adaptive Audio and Live Translation, strengthening the case for upgrading from the largely unchanged first-generation headphones.