Apple launches AirPods Max priced at $549

Bengaluru/San Francisco, December 8

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Apple Inc on Tuesday unveiled AirPods Max, its next-generation over-ear headphones priced at $549.

The company also said Apple Fitness+, its $10 per month fitness subscription service, will be launched on December 14.

Apple said the new AirPods will have up to 20 hours of battery life and expects to start shipping the product next Tuesday.

The new AirPods models will compete with high-end headphones such as Bose’s Noise Cancelling 700 units, which retail for $340 with holiday discounts.

At $549, AirPods Max headphones are priced higher than Apple’s entry-level iPhone and iPad models. The company also said Tuesday that pricing for its base AirPods model and AirPods Pro model would remain the same at $159 and $249, respectively.

The company’s last quarter results showed a rise in sales in its accessories unit, even as revenue from its flagship iPhones dropped 20.7%, the steepest quarterly drop in two years. For the company’s fiscal 2020, accessories sales were up 16% at $53.8 billion, while iPhone sales were down 3% at $137.8 billion.

Apple had launched its newest iPhone range with faster 5G connectivity in October, a month later than its usual September release, due to pandemic-linked delays. Reuters