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  AirPods Max. [credit: Apple ]

This morning, Apple made a surprise announcement : it has started taking orders today for its long-rumored over-ear headphones bearing the AirPods brand. Called AirPods Max , they take design cues from existing Apple products and use several internal sensors and microphones to deliver "computational audio" features.

Priced at $549, AirPods Max are fully wireless headphones, and they use Bluetooth aided by Apple's custom tech to connect to audio sources like an iPhone or a computer. They come with a "Smart Case" that protects the headphones for storage, and puts the headphones in a low-power sleep mode. Additionally, the case has a Lightning port, allowing users to charge the headphones with an included Lightning to USB-C cable.

The above-mentioned sensors include an optical sensor, a position sensor, a case-detect sensor, and an accelerometer in each ear cup, and a gyroscope in just the left ear cup. There are also nine microphones. One is devoted exclusively to voice pickup, while the other eight are used for active noise cancellation; two of the mics perform double duty.

Enlarge / The promotional key art graphic Apple sent out with its announcement about its October 13, 2020, product launch event. (credit: Apple )

Here we are again , less than one month after Apple's September 15 event. Next Tuesday, October 13, Apple representatives will take to the streaming stage to announce new products in an event the company has monikered "Hi, Speed." But what can we expect from the event?

Normally, Apple launches iPhones at a September event, but it didn't this year, possibly because of COVID -related delays in its testing of the new devices. Rather, the September event was primarily about the Apple Watch (there was also a new, redesigned iPad Air , along with some services announcements and a slightly modified non-Air, non-Pro, non-mini iPad).

All that is to say that iPhones are very likely to be the stars of Apple's October show. Let's get into what to expect from them—and what else we might see at the event.