It is possible to remove the headband from AirPods Max with just a standard SIM card eject tool, indicating the ability to swap headbands to get a different color.
In December, MacRumors unveiled the wide variety of AirPods Max earpad color combinations when it became apparent that they were magnetically attached and available separately. Now it appears that AirPods Max more have a more modular design than previously understood, as raised by MacRumors forum member “MayaTlab”, who highlighted the delicacy of the Chinese YouTube channel Prelook.
As mentioned in iFixit’s AirPods Max disassembly, it is possible to easily remove the headband from AirPods Max without disassembling the headphones. Users only need to remove the magnetic ear pads, fold the ear cups flat and insert a SIM card ejector into a small hole above the speaker.
Here’s the trick, and the best part: despite the complexity of the joint, you can detach the entire headband from AirPods Max with just a SIM card remover or paper clip, without even opening the ear cup.
When fully assembled, a small poke in the right place compresses two small springs in the joint, releasing the clamp securing the headband.
Once removed, the spokes on either side of the headband reveal a small connector for transferring power and possibly data between the ear cups. It is also interesting that the connector bears some resemblance to the Lightning connector. It seems likely that users could swap the headbands of different AirPods Max units to get out of stock colorways much easier than expected.
Replaceable headbands were one of the features believed to have been removed before the AirPods Max launch. Before it was announced, it was speculated that AirPods Max would offer unique adjustability with interchangeable headbands and ear cups, repeating the concept behind Apple Watch straps.
Evans Hankey, Apple’s VP of industrial design, said Apple has prototyped hundreds of AirPods Max designs over a long development period. Amid significant delays, Bloomberg correctly predicted that Apple would drop the concept of a replaceable headband to speed up production:
Apple has also scaled back some of the headphones’ interchangeable functionality that characterized the original concept. The latest version of the product probably doesn’t have a replaceable headband, but it may still include interchangeable ear pads.
It is therefore possible that this headband removal system is a holdover from the original, more modular approach of “AirPods Max”. On the other hand, this hidden feature can exist purely to promote repairability, and is not at all intended for general user interaction.
Nevertheless, it is extremely uncommon for headphones that transmit power across the headband to make the part so easily removable. The ease with which the headband and small connector on either side can be removed appears to be a particularly well-developed concept and is in stark contrast to the device’s otherwise challenging repairability.
Users who wish to attempt to remove the headband from AirPods Max should still exercise extreme caution as it is not yet clear whether this action will void the product warranty.