Apple is throwing in a "Smart Case" with the purchase of AirPods Max. It puts the headphones in an "ultralow power state" to preserve battery life.
Apple
Apple on Tuesday revealed its highly anticipated high-end wireless headphones, the $550 AirPods Max.
The new headphones, launching December 15, are the first Apple-branded over-ear headphones. AirPods Max offer active noise cancellation, high-fidelity audio, and up to 20 hours of battery life, and Apple says they work similarly to its AirPods buds by pairing quickly with your phone.
But it's the carrying case that comes with the new headphones that's already causing some confusion and lots of jokes online.
Apple is throwing in a soft, slim "Smart Case" with the purchase of the AirPods Max, which Apple says puts the headphones in an "ultralow power state" that helps preserve the battery life when you're not using them. The case has an unusual design that wraps around the headphones and leave the headband exposed - Apple calls this part the "breathable knit mesh canopy" - and it's drawing comparisons to a purse or a bra.
—Nadav Keyson (@NadavKeyson) December 8, 2020
—Edem ∞ Kumordjie (@TheRealEdem) December 8, 2020
—Jo Eyre (@Jo_Eyre) December 8, 2020
—Daniel Pass (@ThatMrDan) December 8, 2020
—ᴺᴼᵀ Jony Ive (@JonyIveParody) December 8, 2020
A spokesperson for Apple did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment on the case design. But one reason for the unusual case design could be that AirPods Max don't appear to fold up like many other over-ear headphones do, which would likely limit Apple's options when it comes to a slim case design.
Regardless of the unusual case, Apple-watchers have been waiting for the company to release over-ear headphones for at least two years. Rumors of the headphones began circulating in 2018 and have gained steam in recent months after reports from both Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman and TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said the release date would be sometime in 2020.
In October, Apple booted high-end headphones from competitors like Sonos and Bose from its store, which was seen as a sign that Apple's own headphone launch was imminent.
The launch of AirPods Max signifies Apple's commitment to wireless headphones, which has been an area of skyrocketing growth for the company since it launched AirPods in 2016. Wedbush Securities estimates Apple shipped 65 million AirPods in 2019 and could ship as many as 90 million units this year, Business Insider's Lisa Eadicicco reported earlier this year.
