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Apple's flagship over-ear headphones might have a sweat problem.

According to a report from 404 Media, parts of the internet where people talk about tech (including Reddit) have reported incidents of "condensation death" happening to the $550 AirPods Max. The headphones reportedly temporarily malfunction or even stop working entirely in some cases due to moisture buildup after prolonged use.

SEE ALSO:Beats Studio Pro headphones are great for both iPhone and Android users

That this is happening isn't new; as 404 points out, this was reported as early as January 2021, a few months after the headphones first launched. What isinteresting is that there's a class-action lawsuit stuck in the California court system. Apple has yet to publicly acknowledge the problem, but the company's lawyers told the court that condensation problems are normal for over-ear headphones, and the problem is that it's more noticeable on AirPods Max due to the product's removable ear cups.

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As Apple tries to negotiate a settlement with the lawsuit's plaintiffs, its lawyers have also argued that the AirPods Max were never marketed as water-resistant and that many online complaints stem from people using the headphones inappropriately, such as in long, outdoor walks.

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It's not clear yet what will happen with this lawsuit, obviously. There's recent precedent for Apple agreeing to pay out settlements on class-action suits over hardware defects, but no one can guarantee that will happen here. This is mostly interesting because a verypricey Apple product has apparently suffered from a known problem for almost three years and the company hasn't done anything about it in the public eye.


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  • Beats Studio Pro headphones are great for both iPhone and Android users

As a reminder, the Beats Studio Pro headphones are also excellent and cost $200 less.

TopicsAirPodsApple