Apple’s over-ear headphones, theAirPods Max, don’t charge over USB-C, and haven’t been updated since Apple released themnearly four years agoin 2020. There are rumors that Apple plans onupdating the headphoneswith new colors other than the silver, gray, blue, pink, and green colors currently available and a USB-C port. But why wait for Apple? An engineer named Ken Pillonel simply added a USB-C port on his own andmade a videoto prove it.
5 features that would make AirPods Max 2 my go-to over-ear headphones
Apple’s AirPods Max 2 are rumored to be released this year, and these 4 features would convince me to upgrade from the first iteration.
Pillonel covered his process, and the new board he created to make the mod work, in a video you’re able to watch on YouTube right now. He’s also selling the board onhis websiteand haswritten instructionsfor anyone brave enough to tear open their own headphones to follow.
You don’t have to have a screwdriver and the confidence of an engineer to get the benefits of USB-C charging, though.
The process, while finicky, doesn’t seem particularly complicated, with most of the components of the AirPods Max secured with screws. Based on aniFixit teardown, a pair of AirPods Max headphones are far easier to disassemble than normal AirPods, which are held together with a concerning amount of glue.
When it comes to modifying Apple products, Pillonel has a fair amount of experience. Before Apple added USB-C to theiPhone 15andAirPods Proin response toa ruling from the European Commission, Pillonel created aUSB-C iPhone,AirPods, andAirPods Pro. You don’t have to have a screwdriver and the confidence of an engineer to get the benefits of USB-C charging, though. With the right adapter, you can achieve the same effect without taking up too much extra space.
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The alternative: USB-C to Lightning adapters
AGVEE USB-C to Lightning Adapter
Agvee’s USB-C to Lightning adapter makes it easy to charge older Apple devices with a USB-C cable.
While Apple only officially sells a Lightning to USB-C adapter in its store, there are multiple options that do the same thing in reverse, taking a USB-C cable and turning it into a Lightning one. The Agvee USB-C to Lightning Adapter is sold in a pack of two four-inch cables and is designed so that it’s far less likely to break off inside your gadget if you bump into it or pull your charging cable out too fast. A good problem to avoid if you intend on using your adapter for a long time.
FQSH USB-C to Lightning Adapter 2 Pack
FQSH’s compact USB-C adapters are small enough to fit in your wallet and come in multiple different colors and finishes.
For an even smaller alternative, FQSH sells two-pack bundles of USB-C to Lightning adapters in multiple different colors. There’s no telling how durable they could be in the long run, and having an adapter jutting out of the bottom of your AirPods Max adds some additional risk that you might not want to deal with. Still, there’s some appeal to an adapter that’s small enough to fit in a wallet. Or, if you don’t own a pair of over-ear wireless headphones at all, check outour guidefor some excellent picks to consider.
