AirPods Max is getting lossless audio and low latency audio

Apple has announced that AirPods Max will get lossless and ultra-low latency audio capabilities in an update next month. The update aims to enhance the listening experience and provide improved performance for music production.

Audio Quality Enhancements

The forthcoming update will enable 24-bit, 48 kHz lossless audio playback on AirPods Max. This feature is designed to preserve the original recording’s fidelity, allowing users to experience music as intended by the artists.

Lossless audio will also be integrated with Personalised Spatial Audio, intending to offer a more accurate and immersive sound experience. Apple Music users will have access to a catalog of over 100 million lossless audio tracks.

Music Production Applications

The update’s inclusion of lossless and ultra-low latency audio is intended to facilitate the use of AirPods Max in professional music production workflows. When connected via the USB-C cable, AirPods Max will support music creation and mixing in Personalised Spatial Audio with head tracking. The intended purpose is to allow musicians to record and mix with minimal latency and maintained audio fidelity.

Gaming and Livestreaming Improvements

Ultra-low latency audio, a feature of the update, is designed to reduce audio lag during gameplay and livestreaming. The aim is to provide an audio response time comparable to the built-in speakers of Mac, iPad, and iPhone devices, enhancing the user experience in these applications.

Availability

The lossless and ultra-low latency audio features will be delivered through a free firmware update in April. This update will be compatible with AirPods Max (USB-C) and will require iOS 18.4, iPadOS 18.4, and macOS Sequoia 15.4.