A federal judge has dismissed most claims in a proposed class action lawsuit that accused Apple’s AirPods Max of having a condensation defect. The case focused on claims that moisture builds up inside the $549 headphones during normal indoor use and affects key features such as sound quality, ear detection, active noise cancellation, connectivity, and charging.
The lawsuit was filed in April 2025 by two plaintiffs who said their AirPods Max produced condensation inside the ear cups during regular use. One plaintiff said the issue appeared while watching a movie, while the other said it happened during everyday use at home. Both claimed Apple knew about the issue early on but did not properly inform customers.
Law360 reported that Judge Orelia E. Merchant of the Eastern District of New York dismissed every claim brought under New York law with prejudice. The judge found that New York’s implied warranty rules require a product to meet a basic level of quality, rather than perform perfectly in every situation. The order also noted that one plaintiff had used the headphones to watch a movie.
The New York plaintiff has now been removed from the case. However, the Washington plaintiff can still move forward with two claims under Washington law and the federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act.
AirPods Max owners have reported condensation since the headphones launched in December 2020. The issue usually appears when warm body heat meets the cooler aluminum ear cups, although the link between condensation and hardware failure remains disputed.
Apple has not admitted that AirPods Max have an inherent defect. The company has previously said the headphones are not waterproof or water resistant.
