Sony looks set to launch new headphones (likely the Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones) according to two recent product filings with the US' FCC and Singapore's IMDA.
While the device isn't called the XM6 explicitly in either filing – instead, both filings label it the equally easy-to-remember YY2984 – the device looks an awful lot like an updated Sony WH-1000XM5, and the few details the filings share suggest it is indeed a new entry in Sony's flagship headphones line.
We say few details because short-term confidentiality agreements prevent these regulatory agencies from sharing all but the most basic specs info and a few diagrams of the upcoming products. That means we’re still in the dark on many specifics and won’t have a clearer picture until Sony shows it off officially.
Saying that, from what little info we do have, we can start to paint a picture of what the XM6s could be capable of and when we might get to try them out for ourselves.
What do we know about Sony's new headphones?
1. The release date could be close
While none of the filings tease a precise release date for the new Sony headphones, they do at least suggest we won’t be waiting much longer to try these cans out for ourselves. That’s because the confidentiality of the FCC’s filing is set to expire in July this year, at which point more precise specifics on the device would be revealed to the public and spoil any surprise Sony has in store.
As such, we expect the new headphones will land sometime before then in the first half of 2025. Previous headphones from Sony have launched months ahead of this expiration date, so we could be on track for an April or May release. However, your guess is as good as ours when it comes to nailing things down further.
2. Fast charging and Bluetooth 5.3
Because of confidentiality, many specs are still a secret, but we have gleaned a few details from the filings. First is support for fast charging, as we’ve seen from Sony headphones before with a reference to 9V charging alongside 5V, though there’s no word on what capacity the battery has to help clue us into its runtime.
We have, however, seen the new headphones are set to get Bluetooth 5.3, a step up for from the 5.2 used in the Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones, which should deliver a more stable and energy-efficient connection. While it might initially seem disappointing that the headphones don’t support the latest Bluetooth 5.4 standard, they are more aimed at commercial and smart home Internet of Things products. The advantages it offers wouldn’t do much for the XM6s, sonically speaking.
3. Possibly no driver change
This one is tough to judge, but as The Walkman Blog also suggests, the diagrams of the WH-1000XM6 appear to show a driver size unchanged from its predecessor—30mm. Compared to the 40mm drivers in the XM4s, the smaller hardware in the XM5s led to a more detailed and tighter sound, so while it’s likely not much will change audio-wise between the XM6 and what came before, that’s not necessarily going to be a bad thing.
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