Apple AirPods Max 2: five hidden features you may have missed

Apple waited six years to update the AirPods Max, and at a glance the new model looks familiar: same design, same case and the same five colors. The headline improvements center on Apple’s H2 chip and stronger active noise cancellation, but Apple's tech specs reveal several subtler additions.

You can summon Siri on the AirPods Max 2 simply by saying “Siri” rather than “Hey Siri.” The physical buttons remain unchanged, but Siri Interactions let you answer by nodding or shaking your head for a yes or no. Loud Sound Reduction, already on the latest AirPods Pro, helps limit exposure to sudden loud environmental noises like car horns.

Apple highlighted the feature at launch but it does not appear in the comparison tool; it is listed in the official tech specs and is on by default in Transparency and Adaptive Audio modes. The Max 2 use Bluetooth 5.3 instead of 5.0, which should mean lower power use, improved connectivity and faster pairing, along with reduced wireless audio latency — a benefit for music creators and gamers.

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