Disassembly of the AirPods Max reveals a hidden feature of the noise-canceling headphones

iFixit discovered that the headband of the AirPods Max can be easily removed by simply pushing a SIM card removal tool or unfolded clip into a small hole in each ear cup Since the ear cushions only need to be removed to access these holes, anyone can remove the headband without special tools

This is supported by 9to5Mac's finding that iOS devices can identify the "headband type" currently attached to a paired AirPods Max Again, this suggests that Apple intends or intended multiple headband designs; AirPods Max owners would be able to swap headbands to suit their preferences, much like the Apple Watch's removable strap

It is possible that such a feature was merely considered and subsequently passed up However, iOS can still detect the type of headband as of the latest iOS 144 beta 2, which may mean that Apple has not completely abandoned this concept

The ability to swap headbands would certainly make the AirPods Max's $549 price tag a little easier to swallow, and would certainly expand the range of headphone customization with a combination of headbands and ear cushions The latter is $69 for the set, so it is unlikely that the new headband will be particularly cheap

The iFixit report comes a month after the first partial disassembly of the AirPods Max, which revealed that the headphones are difficult to repair because the drivers and electronics are hidden by a glued-on cover However, the complete disassembly was more positive about the repairability, noting that once this awkward first step is completed, it is relatively easy to remove and replace the various components

This may be encouraging news for those who continue to find condensation on their AirPods Max