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.
Apple is not expected to release a standard iPhone 18 model this year, according to a growing number of reports that suggest the company is planning a significant change to its long-standing annual iPhone launch cycle.
Despite the immense success of the iPhone 17 in 2025, the iPhone 18 is not expected to arrive until the spring of 2027, leaving the iPhone 17 in the lineup as the latest...
Language learning app Duolingo has apparently been using the iPhone's Live Activity feature to display ads on the Lock Screen and the Dynamic Island, which violates Apple's design guidelines.
According to multiple reports on Reddit, the Duolingo app has been displaying an ad for a "Super offer," which is Duolingo's paid subscription option.
Apple's guidelines for Live Activity state that...
The company behind the BlackBerry-like Clicks Keyboard accessory for the iPhone today unveiled a new Android 16 smartphone called the Clicks Communicator.
The purpose-built device is designed to be used as a second phone alongside your iPhone, with the intended focus being communication over content consumption. It runs a custom Android launcher that offers a curated selection of messaging...
Apple plans to introduce a 12.9-inch MacBook in spring 2026, according to TrendForce.
In a press release this week, the Taiwanese research firm said this MacBook will be aimed at the entry-level to mid-range market, with "competitive pricing."
TrendForce did not share any further details about this MacBook, but the information that it shared lines up with several rumors about a more...
Apple is planning to release a low-cost MacBook in 2026, which will apparently compete with more affordable Chromebooks and Windows PCs. Apple's most affordable Mac right now is the $999 MacBook Air, and the upcoming low-cost MacBook is expected to be cheaper. Here's what we know about the low-cost MacBook so far.
Size
Rumors suggest the low-cost MacBook will have a display that's around 13 ...
Apple today announced a number of updates to Apple Fitness+ and activity with the Apple Watch.
The key announcements include:
New Year limited-edition award: Users can win the award by closing all three Activity Rings for seven days in a row in January.
"Quit Quitting" Strava challenge: Available in Strava throughout January, users who log 12 workouts anytime in the month will win an ...
Wednesday December 31, 2025 9:59 am PST by Juli Clover
Apple hasn't updated the Mac Pro since 2023, and according to recent rumors, there's no update coming in the near future. In fact, Apple might be finished with the Mac Pro.
Bloomberg recently said that the Mac Pro is "on the back burner" and has been "largely written off" by Apple. Apple apparently views the more compact Mac Studio as the ideal high-end pro-level desktop, and it has almost...
"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.
