The first third-party cases and hangers for AirPods Max containing magnets, that allow users to avoid using Apple's Smart Case, are now available for purchase.
Apple's Smart Case contains magnets that put AirPods Max into a low power mode to preserve battery life. After 18 hours in the Smart Case, the AirPods Max go into an ultra-low power mode that turns off Bluetooth and Find My.
AirPods Max have no power button, with Apple instead relying on different power modes and the Smart Case to preserve battery life. Yet the Smart Case has come under fire for its design, which some customers have criticized for offering very little protection and being impractical, and without using it, AirPods Max take longer to enter its low-power state.
Amid these criticisms, third-party companies have begun presenting solutions to address the criticisms of the Smart Case. WaterField Designs' protective "Shield Case" for AirPods Max, unlike Apple's Smart Case which only partially covers each AirPods Max ear cup, cradles the entire headset in an ultra-plush interior and offers three layers of protection. There is also an interior pocket to carry a charging brick, waterproof zippers, and a loop to attach the case to a carabiner.
The WaterField Shield Case contains a "Magnetic Leather Butterfly" that puts AirPods Max into their low power mode without Apple's Smart Case, but it is also possible to fold down these magnets to put AirPods Max together with their Smart Case into the Shield Case too.
On Etsy, a 3D-printed AirPods Max "Air Hanger" similarly uses magnets to put the headphones into low power mode without the Smart Case. The wall-mounted hanger allows AirPods Max to be hung at any band length, with a curved lip to prevent the headphones from sliding off.
The WaterField Designs Shield Case for AirPods Max is available now in a range of colors for $99. The Air Hanger is available on Etsy for $34.95.
Monday November 3, 2025 5:54 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Following more than a month of beta testing, Apple released iOS 26.1 on Monday, November 3. The update includes a handful of new features and changes, including the ability to adjust the look of Liquid Glass and more.
Below, we outline iOS 26.1's key new features.
Liquid Glass Toggle
iOS 26.1 lets you choose your preferred look for Liquid Glass.
In the Settings app, under Display...
Wednesday November 5, 2025 11:57 am PST by Juli Clover
The smarter, more capable version of Siri that Apple is developing will be powered by Google Gemini, reports Bloomberg. Apple will pay Google approximately $1 billion per year for a 1.2 trillion parameter artificial intelligence model that was developed by Google.
For context, parameters are a measure of how a model understands and responds to queries. More parameters generally means more...
Apple is planning to launch at least 15 new products in 2026, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
Gurman outlined what to expect from Apple in 2026 in the latest edition of his "Power On" newsletter. He said the company is heading "into one of its most pivotal years in recent memory," with the rollout of major new Apple Intelligence features, intense regulatory pressure on the App Store,...
Monday November 3, 2025 1:11 pm PST by Juli Clover
Apple today released iOS 26.1, the first major update to the iOS 26 operating system that came out in September, iOS 26.1 comes over a month after iOS 26 launched. iOS 26.1 is compatible with the iPhone 11 series and later, as well as the second-generation iPhone SE.
The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones over-the-air by going to Settings > General >...
We're officially in the month of Black Friday, which will take place on Friday, November 28 in 2025. As always, this will be the best time of the year to shop for great deals, including popular Apple products like AirPods, iPad, Apple Watch, and more. In this article, the majority of the discounts will be found on Amazon.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When ...
Thursday November 6, 2025 11:12 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple today updated its trade-in values for select iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch models. Trade-ins can be completed on Apple's website, or at an Apple Store.
The charts below provide an overview of Apple's current and previous trade-in values in the U.S., according to its website. Maximum values for most devices either decreased or saw no change, but the iPad Air received a slight bump.
...
Monday November 3, 2025 1:07 pm PST by Juli Clover
Apple today released tvOS 26.1, an update to the tvOS 26 operating system that came out in September. tvOS 26.1 is available on the Apple TV 4K and the Apple TV HD models, but Liquid Glass is only available on the second-generation Apple TV 4K or later.
tvOS 26 can be downloaded using the Settings app on the Apple TV. Open up Settings and go to System > Software Update to get the ...
Monday November 3, 2025 3:22 pm PST by Juli Clover
Apple updated the logo and name for its Apple TV streaming service today, and it looks like Apple One might be next. On the revamped Apple TV website, there's a new, more colorful Apple One logo available.
The logo features an Apple icon that's split into six slices, and each slice includes the color that Apple uses for one of the services included in Apple One Premium.
Apple One is...
"Nobody would buy a $99 case for $550 headphones..."
* Me checking the Waterfield site and seeing the the first 6 batches are already sold out in every color *
When will the "Nobody would buy..." or "Who's gonna buy..." crowd understand that just because they wouldn't buy these things doesn't mean there isn't a market?
The AirPods Max are selling. The 3rd party cases and stands will sell too.
I can't think of any other time where Apple's customers had to rush out and create their own solution to solve a problem created by Apple. I hope Apple views this (the case) as a failure and stops with simply using aesthetics instead of function.
What few people around here understood (because after all, it’s more fun to be outraged) is that this is exactly what Apple planned from the beginning. Third party accessories are a rich part of the gizmo world and they deliberately left room for great cases made by other companies. It’s a good thing to support one’s accessory community. This is as true for AirPods Max as it is for nearly every other portable product Apple makes.
I can't think of any other time where Apple's customers had to rush out and create their own solution to solve a problem created by Apple. I hope Apple views this (the case) as a failure and stops with simply using aesthetics instead of function.
No one has to rush out and do anything LOL! Mine are working just fine without anything but the smart case.
“I hope Apple views this (the case) as a failure and stops simply using aesthetics instead of function.”
According to the case designers function was the driving factor as they wanted it to take up as little room as possible and it does take up less room than any other over the ear headphones case I’ve ever seen.
