AirPods Max back-ordered, but don't expect new model

AirPods Max are Apple's premium over-the-ear headphones

It may be tempting to look at shipment times for an indication of Apple's upcoming product announcements, but they are usually a red herring. AirPods Max ship dates slipping a few weeks could be for a number of reasons, but the least likely is impending new releases.

Apple is on the verge of a major port transition as the European Union has made USB-C a requirement for new devices produced after 2023. This, along with the long update cycle of the original AirPods Max, easily leads to speculation about an upcoming product announcement.

However, Ming-Chi Kuo has already put his stake in the ground for a refresh in late 2024. That's a four-year update cycle, but one Apple isn't averse to considering the HomePod's recent 5-years later update.

A report from 9to5Mac was the first to catch the slipping ship dates. The publication speculates that it could be due to a new color launch, not a full device refresh.

New colors wouldn't be the most unusual thing, as Apple has added new color options to products like HomePod mini mid-cycle before. But those types of updates usually occur sooner in a product's life cycle, not at the end.

If AirPods Max are due for an update by the end of 2024, a new colorway for the ultra-premium headphones could be a bad option for the market. Customers would surely react negatively to purchasing a new colorway only to have the USB-C model released a year or so later.

Out of all the possible explanations, the shipment delay is most likely due to supply chain interruptions. Although, a new colorway can't be completely ruled out, as that is harder for leakers like Ming-Chi Kuo to find and report on.

For now, AirPods Max remain available, at some delay, for as low as $449 (up to $100 off) at resellers in our AirPods Price Guide.