he last One More Thing of Apple’s packed-full 2020 is a pair of noise-cancelling headphones. And boy, are they a Thing. 
AirPods Max, as the name suggests, are meant to be the premium choice of the AirPods line. Unlike the Pro version of the namesake earbuds, they come in a new over-ear design that redefines what high-end headphones can look like. 

At first glance the new AirPods Max are positively quirky and unusual. The ear cushions are weaved in the same special mesh fabric used for the headband, while the outer cover looks silky smooth and curvy, with a shape that reminds of the Apple Watch’s case. The similarities with the smartwatch don’t end there. The controls on top of the right headphone are taken directly from Apple’s wearables, with a digital crown do finely control volume, calls, audio reproduction, and Siri activation. An additional button controls the noise-cancelling features, switching between ANC and Transparency Mode.

On top of ANC, AirPods Max include functions such as Adaptive EQ and Spatial Audio, both inherited from the widely popular AirPods Pro in-ear headphones. Besides these advanced characteristics, design sets the AirPods Max apart. Considering the price (549$), Apple’s new headphones sit at the entry-level of the audiophile market, a segment dominated by high-quality devices that inevitably prioritize audio functions over looks. Try and search for headphones in the 500$ to 800$ dollars category: they’re all bulky, heavy, gigantic. 

This stratified and lazy design language is exactly what Apple’s new headphones have the ability to change. Right now AirPods Max might still look quirky and a bit alien in a market dominated by dark, masculine designs. Give Apple’s competitor a few months, and hopefully, they’ll understand that being interested in high-quality audio doesn’t mean you have to look like a professional studio producer even when you just want to listen to your favourite music in the subway.