CUPERTINO — Tech giant Apple is adding a new product to its line up by going in another direction from its existing headphones.
The AirPods Max are the first over-ear design headphones made by Apple.
They're said to feature Active Noise Cancellation to block out outside noise, Transparency Mode to listen to music while hearing the environment around you, and Spatial Audio to provide a realistic and immersive surround sound experience.
AirPods Max come in five colors, including space gray, silver, sky blue, green, and pink.
They are available for pre-order now and they will begin shipping on Tuesday, December 15th 2020.
They won't come cheap though, costing $549.
Apple claims they can last up to 20 hours with Active Noise Cancellation and Spatial Audio turned on.
The new headphones come with a Smart Case that puts AirPods Max in an "ultralow-power" state that helps to save battery when they're not in use.
The over-head portion of the headphones is made from breathable knit mesh and it's supposed to distribute weight better and reduce on-head pressure.
The volume is controlled on the headphones using a digital crown, similar to that of the one on the Apple Watch.
The headphones come with a Lighting to USB-C Cable to charge them, but no AC adapter to plug it into the wall, and no audio jack to plug them into non-wireless devices.
