Apple Releases New AirPods Max Firmware With Lossless and Low-Latency Audio Support [Updated]
Update 4/2/25: Apple has updated an AirPods support page to indicate that the AirPods Max (USB-C) firmware update version 7E99 is now "coming soon." The original article continues below.
Apple today released a new firmware update for the USB-C version of the AirPods Max headphones. The new firmware is version 7E99, up from the prior 7A291 firmware the device was previously running.
When paired with the iOS 18.4 update, the new AirPods Max firmware brings lossless audio and ultra-low latency audio to the USB-C version of the headphones. The USB-C AirPods Max support 24-bit 48 kHz lossless audio, which is designed to allow listeners to experience music the way the artist created it in the studio. Apple says lossless audio and Personalized Spatial Audio offer a “more sonically accurate, uncompressed, and immersive experience.”
With lossless audio and ultra-low latency audio support, music creators are able to use the AirPods Max to create and mix in Personalized Spatial Audio with head tracking, with just a USB-C cable and a Mac with Logic Pro or other music creation software.
Lossless audio and ultra-low latency is only available for the USB-C AirPods Max. The headphones need to be running the latest firmware and need to be paired with a device running iOS 18.4, iPadOS 18.4, or macOS Sequoia 15.4.
Firmware can be installed by putting the AirPods Max in Bluetooth range of an iPhone, iPad, or Mac that’s connected to Wi-Fi, and then plugging them in to charge. It can take up to 30 minutes for firmware to update.
You can check your firmware version by going to Settings > Bluetooth and selecting the Info button next to the AirPods Max when they are connected to an iPhone, iPad, or Mac.
Popular Stories
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are just over two months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices.
Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models.
Latest Rumors
These rumors surfaced in June and July:Apple logo repositioned: Apple's logo may have a lower position on the back of the iPhone 17 Pro models, compared to previous...
The long wait for an Apple Watch Ultra 3 appears to be nearly over, and it is rumored to feature both satellite connectivity and 5G support.
Apple Watch Ultra's existing Night Mode
In his latest Power On newsletter, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said that the Apple Watch Ultra 3 is on track to launch this year with "significant" new features, including satellite connectivity, which would let you...
The iPhone 17 Pro Max will feature the biggest ever battery in an iPhone, according to the Weibo leaker known as "Instant Digital."
In a new post, the leaker listed the battery capacities of the iPhone 11 Pro Max through to the iPhone 16 Pro Max, and added that the iPhone 17 Pro Max will feature a battery capacity of 5,000mAh:
iPhone 11 Pro Max: 3,969mAh
iPhone 12 Pro Max: 3,687mAh...
Apple's position as the dominant force in the global true wireless stereo (TWS) earbud market is expected to continue through 2025, according to Counterpoint Research.
The forecast outlines a 3% year-over-year increase in global TWS unit shipments for 2025, signaling a transition from rapid growth to a more mature phase for the category. While Apple is set to remain the leading brand by...
Apple should unveil the iPhone 17 series in September, and there might be one bigger difference between the Pro and Pro Max models this year.
As always, the Pro Max model will be larger than the Pro model:iPhone 17 Pro: 6.3-inch display
iPhone 17 Pro Max: 6.9-inch displayGiven the Pro Max is physically larger than the Pro, it has more internal space, allowing for a larger battery and...
AppleInsider's Marko Zivkovic today shared a list of alleged identifiers for future Mac models, which should roll out over the next year or so.
The report does not reveal anything too surprising, but it does serve as further evidence that Apple is seemingly working on new models of every Mac, including the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iMac, Mac mini, Mac Studio, and Mac Pro.
Apple is...
