Apple AirPods Max: how much do they cost and when can I get a pair?

$549 headphones set to maintain company's strong recent performance in the accessories market

The AirPods Max headphones have been priced at the premium end of the market. Courtesy Apple.

Apple has unveiled its new AirPods Max, a set of wireless over-ear headphones with up to 20 hours battery life.

The tech titan has put a premium on these extra hours with each pair coming in at a wallet-busting $549 apiece – pricier than some of its other popular phone, watch and tablet products.

The company will be hoping the product will help to continue its strong recent performance in the accessories market.

Last quarter results saw a rise which helped to offset the 20.7 per cent fall in iPhone sales – the steepest quarterly drop in two years.

Whilst the AirPods Max headphones have been priced at the premium end of the market, Apple said on Tuesday that pricing for its base in-ear AirPods model and AirPods Pro model would remain the same at $159 and $249 respectively.

The new AirPods will be shipped from next Tuesday, Apple said.

The noise and savings-eradicating AirPods follow October's launch of Apple's newest iPhone range with faster 5G connectivity. The phones may be faster but the launch wasn't, as it had been originally set for September but was postponed due to Covid-related logistical delays.

This video has five key takeaways from the delayed iPhone launch.

The Silicon Valley giant also revealed it is set to launch Apple Fitness+ – announced at its annual event in September – on December 14, its $10 per month fitness subscription service.

The news had a depressive effect on the share price of rival virtual fitness company Peloton. Its shares were down two per cent in before-market trading.