Concept: AirPods Max just turned one; here’s what we’d like to see in the next version

AirPods Max are officially one year old. That means we’re probably getting close to the first revision, assuming Apple is planning to keep them around. There are lots of ways Apple could improve upon these excellent over-the-ear headphones.

Some level of water resistance AirPods Max are my favorite product that Apple makes right now, but they are missing an essential that makes AirPods and AirPods Pro great: sweat and water resistance.

USB-C + MagSafe charging Like other AirPods, AirPods Max use lightning to charge. But, they’d be far better served by having a USB-C connector.

MagSafe came to AirPods and AirPods Pro this year, and we’d like to see it come to AirPods Max as well. AirPods Max are big enough to accommodate a strong ring of MagSafe magnets. Since magnetic charging doesn’t play nice with aluminum, the ring could be built into the case.

Offer more customization options Before AirPods Max were released, there had long been rumors about interchangeable cups and headbands. And while you can indeed change them on the current AirPods Max, Apple doesn’t advertise the ability to customize your headphones.

Apple should start selling all three components of the package individually and in all sorts of different colors. They could even switch colors up seasonally with Apple Watch bands and iPhone cases. This brings me to the next thing we’d like to see: fresh colors.

Seasonal color refresh AirPods Max currently come in five colors: silver, space gray, green, pink, and blue. These colors line up perfectly with the five options that the 2020 iPad Air is available in. But let’s be clear, these are last season’s colors, and they don’t match Apple’s 2021 products.

We’d like to see AirPods Max get at least three new shades to match the iPad mini: starlight, a new rosier pink, and purple.

Lower that $549 price Apple has priced a lot of people out of AirPods Max. They’re jaw droppingly expensive at $549. And while some of us believe that they’re worth every penny, it seems as though the product really only moves when the price is dropped.