AirPods Max restock: Apple, Verizon, and Amazon availability status; shortage expected to continue in the coming months

PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S are not the only hard-to-find gadget right now. Apple’s new AirPods Max has also been out of stock in most retailers, but at least three online stores are offering them right now.

Where can people buy AirPods Max right now?

First, start at the main source — Apple.com. While the online store lets people place orders right now, the earliest delivery dates could take more than a month for most color variants. Getting the Space Gray, Silver, Green, and Pink without the free engraving may not be shipped until Feb. 26 to March 5 in some areas. The Sky Blue model requires a longer waiting period of up to March 12-19.

Verizon is completely out of stock of the AirPods Max in Sky Blue, Pink, and Green colors. But they have available units of the Silver and Space Gray variants right now. Their website indicates customers can opt for a same-day store pick up option or two-day shipping.

Amazon only has the Silver variant with Feb. 4 as the “earliest” delivery date possible. Its website says the Pink variant will be “in stock” on Feb. 7, while the Space Gray will be available on March 5.

Ordering the AirPods Max outside of Apple.com will not let customers get the free engraving that lets them mark their wireless headphones with numbers, letters, or emojis. However, note that taking this offer usually extends the delivery waiting period by at least a week.

The difficulty in finding an available AirPods Max and dealing with prolonged shipping periods is not new. These issues have been present since the headphones launched last December. And it does not look like the situation is changing anytime soon.

In an interview with Reuters, Apple CEO Tim Cook confirmed that the shortage in available AirPods Max could continue throughout the second quarter of the company’s current fiscal year. That means more stocks cannot be expected until around April.

Apple launches AirPods Max ear cushion replacements

Those who were lucky to grab an AirPods Max since December have another item they might want to purchase. Apple just launched ear cushions that people can buy separately and in different color options: Silver, Black, Green, Sky Blue, and Red. For $69, people can now mix and match the color of their headphones with the standalone ear cushions.

The AirPods Max costs $549 and comes with a Lightning to USB-C cable and a smart case. It supports High-Fidelity audio and Apple’s Active Noise Cancellation. The headphones sport a knit mesh finishing and also work with Spatial Audio via iOS 14 devices.