Review The new AirPods Max are turning heads with a high price tag and excellent audio quality. But is what you get worth the $549? AirPods Max design AirPods Max come in five different colors, sky blue, green, pink, silver, and space gray. Each color is two-toned, featuring a lighter color on the anodized earcups and a darker one for the headband. AirPods Max have one of the most bespoke designs ever created for a set of headphones. The top portion of the headphones is made of stainless steel before being coated with a premium soft-touch material akin to silicone. The canopy is made from a proprietary mesh that is designed to wrest just atop your head. AirPods Max Each arm of the AirPods Max extend to accommodate user's heads of different sizes. Anodized aluminum makes up the cups themselves, which is lighter than the steel and allows for the svelte anodization Apple is known for. Each of the cushions on the earcups are a similar mesh … [Read more...] about Review: AirPods Max don’t make it easy to justify the price
Airpod max earcup covers
AirPods Max could experience supply constraints until April
Tim Cook on Wednesday said that supply for Apple's popular AirPods Max could continue to suffer constraints through the first quarter of 2020. Tim Cook announced on Wednesday that the premium headphones would likely be in short supply into the company's second quarter, reports Reuters . AirPods Max was announced in mid-December and are Apple's premiere luxury over-ear headphones. They retail for $550 and are available in five colors, including Silver, Space Gray, Sky Blue, Red, and Green. They feature Apple's H1 chip , which gives them a hundred-foot range, allowing users to freely move around while wearing them. They also feature a Digital Crown, allowing users to easily pause, play, and skip through playlists, as well as summon Siri . Hours into the product's launch, customers saw ship dates slip into 2021 as high demand outstripped supply. Configurations of the device remain sold out through Apple's online storefront and third-party resellers. … [Read more...] about AirPods Max could experience supply constraints until April
Ear cushions not included with AirPods Max warranty replacements
On Monday, a report details Apple's warranty repair policy for AirPods Max, noting the company does not supply an extra set of ear cushions if the device needs to be replaced. Damien Menn recently discovered Apple's replacement protocol when requesting warranty service for a faulty Digital Crown, reports 9to5Mac . Illustrated in a tweet , Apple informs users to remove AirPods Max's ear cushions before sending the unit in for repair. The replacement device arrives in a form-fitting insert and is fitted with special fiber pouches to protect the ear cups that contain sensitive components like drivers, sensors, and circuit boards. A pamphlet included in the package instructs users to remove the original cushions that came with their AirPods Max, slip on the fiber baggies and stow them securely for the return shipment. Fortunately for the user, AirPods Max cushions are held on with magnets and are easy to remove and install. The repair practice deviates from … [Read more...] about Ear cushions not included with AirPods Max warranty replacements
Kuo: Apple’s major product lines enjoy healthy demand in Q4, but AirPods shipments muted
TF Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo in a note to investors on Tuesday reported stronger than expected demand for the tech giant's major device lines, including high-end iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max models. According to a recent survey, demand for Apple's top-tier iPhone 12 models, the new iPad Air , Apple Watch Series 6 and SE , and M1 MacBook models is better than expected moving into the lucrative holiday season, Kuo said. The analyst references a number of previous predictions regarding future products, including new M1 MacBook Pro variants and " AirPods 3 ." The analyst is tracking positive momentum for Apple's important iPhone business despite lower than expected demand for iPhone 12 and 12 mini , with increased interest in the high-end iPhone 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max picking up the slack. Those trends should carry forward into the first half of 2021 and toward an anticipated refresh cycle next fall. Apple's iPad Air, which benefitted from a … [Read more...] about Kuo: Apple’s major product lines enjoy healthy demand in Q4, but AirPods shipments muted
‘AirPods 3’ design similar to AirPods Pro & coming in early 2021 says Ming-Chi Kuo
AppleInsider is supported by its audience and may earn commission as an Amazon Associate and affiliate partner on qualifying purchases. These affiliate partnerships do not influence our editorial content. Ming-Chi Kuo believes that a new " AirPods 3 " will arrive in the first half of 2021, kickstarting fresh demand for Apple's wireless earbuds. A note to investors by Ming-Chi Kuo, seen by AppleInsider discusses the state of the AirPods. While the note mostly covers sales volumes and predictions, the analyst does discuss what he believes the "AirPods 3" will be like, and about when they will arrive. Kuo believes that the "AirPods 3" have a "new form factor design" and will be similar to the AirPods Pro . The transition to sole production of the "AirPods 3" is said to happen in the first half of 2021, meaning a release before the 2021 WWDC in all likelihood. Regarding those sales volumes, Kuo is not changing his shipment prediction of 93.8 million units for … [Read more...] about ‘AirPods 3’ design similar to AirPods Pro & coming in early 2021 says Ming-Chi Kuo
Ten records Apple broke in its historic holiday 2020 quarter
AppleInsider breaks down every record Apple smashed in its gargantuan fiscal quarter ending in December 2020. Apple's first fiscal quarter was one to remember, breaking records left and right on its way to a staggering $111.4 billion in total revenue. While that number was the biggest takeaway, it was far from the only record the company shattered. Total revenue Apple brought in a staggering $111.4B in Q1 2021 During the 1Q 2021 financial quarter, Apple raked in $111.4 billion in total revenue. This is the first time the company has passed $100 billion for a quarter, breaking its previous record of $91.8 billion in the prior year's December-ending quarter. It's all the more surprising that Apple did this during a global pandemic, as many working families cut down on luxury purchases. Impressive iPad and Mac sales boosts may have partially reflected the greater need for work-from-home and Zoom-friendly computing devices. However, the iPhone continued … [Read more...] about Ten records Apple broke in its historic holiday 2020 quarter
Apple’s $111.4B Q1 shatters quarterly record with massive growth across all categories
AppleInsider is supported by its audience and may earn commission as an Amazon Associate and affiliate partner on qualifying purchases. These affiliate partnerships do not influence our editorial content. Apple earned $111.4 billion in revenue in the first quarter of 2021, blasting past the $100 billion barrier for the first time on double-digit growth across all product categories. Announced before the company's usual conference call with analysts, Apple's revenue of $111.4 billion for the quarter ending December 2020 represents growth of 21% on the $91.8 billion seen one year prior , itself a record-setting set of results. Earnings per share is set at $1.68, comparatively higher than the $4.99 seen in Q1 2020 before the four-way stock split . The gross margin of $44.3 billion is up from Q1 2020's $35.2 billion, while operating expenses are up/down year-on-year to $10.8 billion from $9.6 billion. Net profit is $28.8 billion, an improvement from $22.2 billion one … [Read more...] about Apple’s $111.4B Q1 shatters quarterly record with massive growth across all categories
Review: MagSafe Duo is almost everything you need, but has too many compromises
Video Apple's MagSafe Duo charging solution is now available. After spending some time with it, we are on the fence about the company's latest iPhone 12 accessory. With Apple's latest iPhones, there are more ways than ever to charge. The most unique, is MagSafe . At the moment, the only official options are Apple's MagSafe charging puck or the new MagSafe Duo. Soon, third-party options will flood the market, including options from Belkin and Scosche, but for the time being, we have Apple's to consider. Subscribe to AppleInsider on YouTube MagSafe Duo - Design MagSafe Duo is a simple enough product. On one side is a MagSafe wireless charger and on the right is an integrated Apple Watch charging puck. The charging puck operates similar to Apple's own Apple Watch charging stand in that the puck is metal-encased and can flip up or lay flat. MagSafe Duo is powered by Lightning On the opposing side is the MagSafe charger. Unlike … [Read more...] about Review: MagSafe Duo is almost everything you need, but has too many compromises
Apple now displays iPhone and Mac repairability scores in France
AppleInsider is supported by its audience and may earn commission as an Amazon Associate and affiliate partner on qualifying purchases. These affiliate partnerships do not influence our editorial content. Apple this week posted repairability scores for flagship iPhone and Mac products in France, a measure mandated by the country's government in January. The listings, known as repair indexes, are now displayed on official Apple Store app purchase pages and on Apple's website, reports MacGeneration . Current-generation flagship devices including the iPhone 12 , iPhone 11 and iPhone SE series, as well as MacBook Pro and MacBook Air models, carry the informational mark designed to offer insight into a product's life cycle. Separately, Apple has posted a dedicated webpage on its French website with links to detailed repair index reports covering documentation; disassembly, access and tools; parts availability; parts pricing; and software and services support. … [Read more...] about Apple now displays iPhone and Mac repairability scores in France
Review: Devialet Phantom, the $2000 single-unit Bluetooth speaker that aims to replace your hi-fi system
I’m a strong advocate of the philosophy of buying the right thing once. My view is for any activity you care about a lot, it’s cheaper in the long run to buy an expensive product that will keep you happy for a great many years – maybe even for a lifetime – than a cheap product you’ll end up wanting to replace a few years down the line. Buy cheap, buy twice, as they say. My hi-fi system is a great example. When I was a lot younger, I splashed out on a Bang & Olufsen hi-fi system that was more than twice the price of everything else I tested. Twenty years on, it now looks like an extraordinarily good value. It’s so old it has a cassette deck (yes, really!), but all it took to bring it back up to date was the addition of a simple Wi-Fi audio receiver to add AirPlay support. Standalone Bluetooth speakers have therefore been of very limited interest to me – and I’d never have dreamed that one could ever replace a proper hi-fi system. So I was intrigued by one that claimed it … [Read more...] about Review: Devialet Phantom, the $2000 single-unit Bluetooth speaker that aims to replace your hi-fi system