AirPods Max were made to be both beautiful and powerful, designers say
In a new interview, a trio of Apple executives and designers shared details and tidbits about the development and design of the company's new AirPods Max headphones.
Credit: Andrew O'Hara, AppleInsider
Apple vice president of Industrial Design Evans Hankey; Apple VP of marketing Bob Borchers; and industrial designer Eugene Whang recently spoke to Japanese design website Casa Brutus about the new premium over-ear headphones.
From the beginning, the team set out to create a product that was "beautiful," powerful, and immersive. Hankey said that it was important to design a product that users would actually want to wear, but could deliver performance, too.
There are some details about the team's process, including the fact that Apple tested hundreds of different prototypes before settling on the eventual final design. Hankey said that Apple only has a single shot when it's entering a new market, so the team wanted to get it right.
Other interesting tidbits about the design include the amount of research the team conducted on headphone shape for a comfortable fit. The team worked with sound engineers to mix a tight seal for audio quality with a comfortable fit.
Like other over-ear headphones, Apple prototyped designs with touch-based controls. But, ultimately, it decided to go with the physical Digital Crown -- something familiar to Apple Watch users. Although it's easily rotated, it features a slight tactile sensation.
Whang, who oversaw the design of the headphones' Smart Case, said the storage case was designed to be space-efficient. Even the fact that the headband is uncovered was thought out, says Whang, since that component is durable.
Apple's careful attention to detail extends to its choice of materials, Whang added. AirPods Max are built with materials Apple is familiar with, such as aluminum. Other materials were chosen based on their comfort and how they feel against the skin.
The industrial designer added that the AirPods Max is a good representation of Apple's commitment to fusing engineering and design.
Hankey said that the development of AirPods Max was a team effort between physical product designers, as well as user interface, sound, and usability experts. He added that the team's love for "music, colors, materials and sounds" played an important role in the product's development.
Credit: Andrew O'Hara, AppleInsider
Apple vice president of Industrial Design Evans Hankey; Apple VP of marketing Bob Borchers; and industrial designer Eugene Whang recently spoke to Japanese design website Casa Brutus about the new premium over-ear headphones.
From the beginning, the team set out to create a product that was "beautiful," powerful, and immersive. Hankey said that it was important to design a product that users would actually want to wear, but could deliver performance, too.
There are some details about the team's process, including the fact that Apple tested hundreds of different prototypes before settling on the eventual final design. Hankey said that Apple only has a single shot when it's entering a new market, so the team wanted to get it right.
Other interesting tidbits about the design include the amount of research the team conducted on headphone shape for a comfortable fit. The team worked with sound engineers to mix a tight seal for audio quality with a comfortable fit.
Like other over-ear headphones, Apple prototyped designs with touch-based controls. But, ultimately, it decided to go with the physical Digital Crown -- something familiar to Apple Watch users. Although it's easily rotated, it features a slight tactile sensation.
Whang, who oversaw the design of the headphones' Smart Case, said the storage case was designed to be space-efficient. Even the fact that the headband is uncovered was thought out, says Whang, since that component is durable.
Apple's careful attention to detail extends to its choice of materials, Whang added. AirPods Max are built with materials Apple is familiar with, such as aluminum. Other materials were chosen based on their comfort and how they feel against the skin.
The industrial designer added that the AirPods Max is a good representation of Apple's commitment to fusing engineering and design.
Hankey said that the development of AirPods Max was a team effort between physical product designers, as well as user interface, sound, and usability experts. He added that the team's love for "music, colors, materials and sounds" played an important role in the product's development.
Comments
Space-efficient? Not really sure what that means in this context. Since the headphones don't fold/collapse, the footprint would be just as large (if not larger) as the footprint of other headphones folded in a case. Space-efficient doesn't make sense, and even it did (it doesn't) that wouldn't explain the open breathing strips at the bottom that leave the aloomineeum cups exposed to scratches. The case is an oddity that defies logic imo. As I said before, it's a miss within an otherwise decent product.
I think these things are meant to look fabulous in someone’s Home Beautiful home office pictures. Can’t believe it doesn’t have a carved aluminium stand as an accessory ($499).
In our 1985 Oscar nominee movie
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090257/?ref_=ttmi_tt
or see trailer
https://youtu.be/-kIRWZiLavw?t=32
The person who designs the case most likely couldn't override the designers of the headphones themselves. I think the case is brilliant. The breathing strips do not make sense though as you said. Also disappointed they don't charge the headphones like AirPods cases(which also got made fun of).
The sarcasm at the end is dumb. Reminds me of the people who don't need pro equipment complaining about pro equipment pricing.
Your explanation doesn't jibe with reality. A hard case covering the entire headphones would not increase the footprint of the package in any appreciable way. A case made using the same material as the purse/bra would increase the footprint even less. The entirety of the case is an oddity. Now that Apple has updated the product page, the case makes even less sense. It doesn't put the headphones into ultra low power mode until 18 hours of inactivity have lapsed. Until then, when not in use, the headphones go into a low power mode whether you set them down on a table naked or put them in the case.
Take a look at a dozen high-end cans and you'll see that beautiful is low on the list of what those designers think they should look like. Elegant is not in the vocabulary. The overwhelming majority of them look like designers spent a little too much time watching '50s sci-fi movies. No reason why headphones costing 2x/3x/4x the cost of APs Max shouldn't be beautiful, but those that are, are exceptions to the genre.
Apple designs all their kit to look good for photo shoots? Sounds like you took the time to stick your head up your ass before making that comment.
I think that's exactly right. Anybody who's bought high end headphones knows that the majority of them come in bulky but yes very protective cases taking up almost as much room as the box they came in. They have to be stowed somewhere when not needed. That's most of the time as they're not travel headphones. That case could be put in a drawer and not have to be put on a closet shelf.
It isn't and wasn't meant to be an Otterbox. Maybe Apple thought "These are expensive headphones. Anybody buying these will be taking reasonably good care of them. The case doesn't need to be a big lump when not used." As is, they could be safely packed in a suit case and take up less room than a set of high-end Senns or Beyers, etc., if somebody decided they just had to travel with them.
From the looks of it you might even be able to stuff the Max case in a big jacket pocket if you wanted to take them out and about. Not sure I'd do that but it's a choice.
These weren't meant to compete with audiophile headphones but they certainly were meant to offer a different and better listening experience than those and Beats, Sony, etc. Reviews by hacks don't bother with addressing the features or audio quality making dumbass comments like many in this thread. No doubt these would be wasted on them as they aren't the market. I'm looking forward to more in depth reviews focusing audio quality and the opportunity to try a pair. It may not be so easy until COVID ramps down, and that will be a good while yet.
Crybabies fretting over the price or the case with zero experience with or understanding of the category or product, need not apply. You're just so much noise getting in the way of objectivity.