New Sony WF-1000XM4 leaks reveal specs and design of the wireless earbuds

Sony WF-1000XM3
The Sony WF-1000XM3 earbuds. (Image credit: Future)

New leaks around the Sony WF-1000XM4 wireless earbuds have given us a better idea of what to expect from the upcoming premium audio gadget, which could be launching as early as next month if the rumors are correct.

What appears to be an official promo video found its way to YouTube before being pulled again – and XDA Developers kindly grabbed some screenshots so we can take a look at what the WF-1000XM4 earbuds are going to offer.

It looks like we've got some serious noise cancelling capabilities arriving with these wireless earbuds, managed by a new processor called the Sony V1 – it's said to use a pair of microphones on the sides of each earbud to effectively keep out external noises.

Meanwhile, new driver units for the wireless earbuds promise an upgraded audio experience: Hi-Res Audio, LDAC streaming, DSEE Extreme and 360 Reality Audio are all mentioned in the video, an impressive list which will appeal to audiophiles.

Hours of battery life

The video mentions eight hours of battery life with automatic noise cancelling enabled and 12 hours without, with a maximum of 24 hours of battery life added by the charging case – keeping you well covered in terms of longevity when you're out and about.

There's also a plug for IPX4 water resistance in the promo, so the earbuds will be protected from sweat at the gym and rain outdoors. This all lines up neatly with Sony WF-1000XM4 wireless earbuds details uncovered by WinFuture just a few days ago.

As for the design, we can again see how the aesthetics have been tweaked from the Sony WF-1000XM3: it looks like we're in line for a more compact and bulbous bud shape this time around, with short stems attached to the earbuds and some tasteful gold highlights.

From what we've heard about these AirPods competitors so far, they're going to be officially unveiled on June 8, and will come with a starting price of €279 (with a straight currency conversion that's about $340 / £240 / AU$440). When these earbuds are made official, we will of course let you know.

David Nield
Freelance Contributor

Dave is a freelance tech journalist who has been writing about gadgets, apps and the web for more than two decades. Based out of Stockport, England, on TechRadar you'll find him covering news, features and reviews, particularly for phones, tablets and wearables. Working to ensure our breaking news coverage is the best in the business over weekends, David also has bylines at Gizmodo, T3, PopSci and a few other places besides, as well as being many years editing the likes of PC Explorer and The Hardware Handbook.