AirPods Max (2024) with Android: Does it make sense to buy the headphones and which features will you lose?

The wireless headphones Apple AirPods Max (2024) were available for 6,990 Kč at Datart in August, which was the best offer since their market launch (they cost over 14 thousand back then). Before I could think twice, the order was paid for and heading to my home. The only catch was that I don’t have an iPhone and don’t plan to buy one yet.

The original idea was simple. I’d buy the headphones, and if I didn’t change my mind by then, I’d try to sell them on a marketplace in two weeks for around 8 thousand. But then I started thinking more, and several thoughts ran through my head. Firstly: I’ve been wanting quality over-ear headphones for a while and still haven’t fulfilled that wish. Secondly: because of my studies, I’ll be commuting daily on the Prague metro, which is quite noisy, and strong ANC is needed for an ideal music listening experience while riding it. And so, suddenly, I was sitting at my computer with AirPods Max (2024) on my head, connected to a Google Pixel 9 Pro XL phone, asking myself what on earth I had done.

Even before I did that, I naturally read foreign articles about what specific limitations I would face when using AirPods Max with an Android phone. Therefore, I dedicate this text to people who are also facing a dilemma like, “does it make sense to spend thousands on Apple headphones, even if I don’t own any other Apple product?”.

What did I expect from AirPods Max?

I partially outlined my expectations for the premium AirPods Max (2024) in the introduction. First and foremost, I wanted high-end headphones with excellent sound that would truly allow me to immerse myself in music. I also cared deeply about active noise cancellation, which would make it much easier to ignore ambient noise when traveling by train, metro, or other means of transport.

Last but not least, I was impressed by the headphones’ build quality. From a design perspective, I consider AirPods Max to be a masterpiece that exudes pure luxury. Even though over-ear headphones typically don’t suit me, as I have a relatively small head, I like how the Apple model looks on me.

So, I practically didn’t care about spatial audio, head tracking, or other smart features that today’s headphones, including AirPods Max, offer. And that’s precisely why I don’t mind that I’ll lose out on smart features due to connecting them with an Android phone.

What can AirPods Max do when connected to Android?

If you use AirPods Max with an Android phone, you’ll be able to enjoy top-notch and incredibly engaging audio, which is undoubtedly one of the headphones’ main strengths. You’ll appreciate clear vocals and excellent-sounding highs, mids, and lows. The difference compared to cheaper headphones is truly noticeable.

When connected to Android, Apple will not deprive you of active noise cancellation or Transparency mode, which, conversely, deliberately lets ambient sounds in. Switching between modes works reliably using the button on the right earcup. Crown control also works, allowing you to conveniently adjust volume, skip tracks, pause/resume playback, or answer an incoming call. The controls can also be used when you connect the headphones to your phone using a double-sided USB-C cable. How they behave at that moment will depend more on the specific smartphone.

According to available information, the adaptive equalizer should also work, as the calculation takes place inside the headphones themselves (specifically on the H1 processors in the earcups). However, I myself am unable to tell if the feature actually does anything, which is perhaps paradoxically a sign that it’s working as it should. The adaptive equalizer uses integrated microphones to correct the sound depending on how the headphones are seated on the head, and the result should be consistent audio. And AirPods Max truly provide that for me.

What do you lose when connecting to Android?

The answer is simple: practically everything else. Most of the intelligent features of AirPods Max (2024) rely on connection with Apple ecosystem devices, as a result of which the headphones can do practically nothing and in many ways seem dumber than models from Chinese brands costing a thousand crowns.

If you decide to use AirPods Max with Android, you will lose:

• Head tracking function
• Personalized spatial audio – you cannot create a profile or use a Dolby Atmos spatial mix linked to the headphones
• Automatic on-head detection
• Battery status display – you won’t know how much battery % you have left until AirPods Max themselves notify you that they are almost depleted
• Automatic device switching
• Voice assistant activation by button
• Audio Sharing – streaming to two headphones simultaneously
• Ability to find headphones via the Find My network
• Ability to install firmware updates – without a friend with an iPhone or a visit to an Apple Store, you will never update the headphones

I’d like to dedicate a few extra lines specifically to the automatic on-head detection feature. AirPods Max are indeed capable of recognizing whether you have them on your head or not, but they only use this at a moment when you won’t appreciate it. How did I figure this out? You cannot pair a new device with the headphones while they are on your head. As soon as you take them off, the option becomes unlocked. But why, in such a case, the headphones don’t automatically stop music or a podcast when I take them off and put them on the table is incomprehensible to me.

PodsLink App: A way to unlock some features

For many users, a clever way to bypass some of the aforementioned limitations can be the PodsLink app. Thanks to it, for example, you can find out the exact battery status in real-time and also activate a pop-up window after taking AirPods Max out of their case, which informs you about the headphones’ status.

For an additional fee, the app also promises to unlock other features, such as customizing controls or the option for quick sound effect settings. However, I personally don’t need these features much, so I didn’t pay for them.

The PodsLink app is far from being able to replace the experience you would get by connecting AirPods Max with an iPhone. However, if you would still like to know at least whether you need to charge the headphones right away or in a few hours, it might be worth installing it.

Verdict: Does it make sense to buy AirPods Max with Android? And what are the alternatives?

If you have the opportunity, like me, to acquire original AirPods Max at a more favorable price (but beware of fakes that have flooded marketplaces!) and you like their appearance, you might not necessarily regret the purchase. The audio is excellent, active noise cancellation performs perfectly, and the headphones are comfortable on the head.

However, I must admit that if I had to buy AirPods Max (2024) for, say, 9,390 Kč, which is their current price on Alza, I would seriously start considering whether I’d rather buy truly smart headphones with all the bells and whistles.

For example, there are Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones with support for modern lossless and low-latency codecs like Snapdragon Sound and aptX Adaptive, head tracking, and spatial audio. Smart choices also include Sony WH-1000XM6, or Sony WH-1000XM5 if you want to save money, Sennheiser Momentum 5 Wireless, or even Sonos Ace, which even somewhat resemble AirPods in appearance.

So, AirPods Max (2024) can definitely be used with Android phones, but you must account for all the limitations and carefully consider whether their purchase is worth it to you. Regardless of what you expect from the headphones and what device you’ll have them connected to, there’s a risk you’ll get annoyed by the absence of a power-off button – to put them to sleep and prevent unnecessary battery drain on the table, you always have to dutifully return them to the Smart Case.

Would you buy AirPods Max for an Android phone?