iFixit AirPods Max 2 Teardown: Same Design, Same Repairability Issues
Repair site iFixit today shared a teardown of Apple's new AirPods Max 2 headphones, and as expected, there are few changes. iFixit says the AirPods Max 2 are "basically the same" as the original AirPods Max headphones that came out in 2020.
A comparison of the internal components of the AirPods Max 2 and the USB-C AirPods Max indicate the headphones are identical, and opening them up requires the same steps. The only difference is the updated H2 chips inside each earcup.
Apple hasn't addressed the common failure points in the AirPods Max, such as condensation that builds up in the earcups in humid environments, and Apple doesn't have parts or repair manuals available.
iFixit suggests that if Apple made instructions and components available through its self-service repair program and made the battery and USB-C port more accessible, the AirPods Max would be repairable and could have a much longer lifespan.
With no updates to the AirPods Max 2 design, the headphones are no more repairable than the prior-generation models. iFixit gave the prior version a repairability score of 6/10.
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Apple today unveiled AirPods Max 2, with key upgrades including the H2 chip, increased active noise cancellation, improved sound quality, and features such as Adaptive Audio, Conversation Awareness, Voice Isolation, and Live Translation.
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