Sony has a loyal fan base when it comes to its headphones, especially the flagship XM line. There is good news for lovers of wireless headphones as it looks like the WF-1000XM5 is not far from launching.
Each new release is highly anticipated, so here’s everything we know so far about the rumor-based WF-1000XM5, with our predictions and added wishes.
When will the Sony WF-1000XM5 be released?
Sony has a habit of launching new flagship headphones in the summer, with the headphones getting a new model every two years (see below). Typically, it takes place in August, but the most recent pair launched a bit earlier in June.
The August slot seems like a thing of the past now, and we could get the XM5 any day now, according to The Walkman Blog. The site says the launch will take place somewhere between June 5 and June 9, however, this came via an anonymous comment which we now know was untrue.
The WF-1000XM5 has an FCC listing with a short-term confidentiality end date of August 22, but the WH-1000XM5 had a date of August 8, 2022, and yet we saw them officially announced on May 12.
- XM4 – June 2021
- XM3 – August 2019
- XM2 – August 2017
The Walkman’s Blog
How much will the Sony WF-1000XM5 cost?
Sony tends to maintain fairly similar pricing. However, the WF-1000XM4 got a reasonable price hike over the WF-1000XM3 at £250/US$280 (from £220/$230).
I don’t think Sony will raise the price this year, but it is possible given factors such as inflation. If that happens, I wouldn’t expect it to go as big as the last one.
What are the specs and new features of the Sony WF-1000XM5?
It’s taken a while, but we finally have some details on the WF-1000XM5 wireless headphones thanks to images and details leaked via the Walkman blog. The site leaked previous devices, including the XM4 headphones.
Unfortunately, we only have one image of the earbuds from one side and they have a shiny plastic design which may just be because they’re a pre-production sample.
The Walkman’s Blog
The main takeaway here is that the headphones are more compact than the WF-1000XM4. Well, “much more” according to the site and it looks like there is no seam between the outer part and the main body, much like the LinkBuds S.
The inner face seems to be contoured rather than flat, probably in an effort to make the earbuds more comfortable and secure. This inner side will still have a proximity sensor to enable autoplay.
There are few other details to glean other than a touch point (purpose unknown), an outward-facing microphone, and the fact that the WF-1000XM5 will once again have touch panels on the outside as you’d expect. doubt.
We can also assume they come with existing features like Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), Ambient Sound Control, DSEE Extreme, 360 Reality Audio and more. The FFC listing confirms Bluetooth 5.3 and Bluetooth LE (Low Energy) and while we hope the headphones also get Qualcomm aptX Lossless, Sony might just stick with its LDAC codec.
Circuit images show the possibility of the earphones changing to a dual-driver setup similar to the Samsung Galaxy Buds 2. This is based on the fact that there are two contacts available, although the extra contact may well be for something else , especially if the more compact design means there’s no space for two riders.
The Walkman’s Blog
As for the charging case, there are some subtle design changes. Rumors of a square shape seem false, with Sony sticking to a more rounded pebble-like outline.
You have to pay closer attention to notice that there are now two metal charging contact points on the inside where the earbuds go and the LED is now in the front.
What’s much more exciting is that the case is rated at 230mAh rather than 140mAh, which indicates that the case has a larger battery and should therefore be able to charge the earbuds more times before running out of power. deplete (depending on the size of the battery in the earbuds themselves). However, leaks (see below) suggest it will stay at a total of 24 hours.
A more recent leak from The Walkman Blog shows a comparison chart supposedly from Amazon comparing the WF-1000XM5 to other Sony headphones such as the LinkBuds S.
There’s not much to glean, but it does indicate that the headphones will be 1.4g lighter per bud than the XM4 and the case will be 2g lighter. It also looks like the glossy plastic that was thought to be just for a reference design has made its way to the final version, although the touch area remains matte.
This is also supported by renders via WinFuture, including a first preview of the silver colorway, resulting in a two-tone finish. We can also see that the round gold part is a grille rather than the target style seen on the XM4.
The lighter buds are the result of a smaller footprint, which just might make them more comfortable for some users. However, it looks like battery life – at least overall – remains at 24 hours, so there’s no improvement on the XM4. Fast charging is faster though, with just three minutes in the case that would net you an hour of playtime.
In a new WinFuture post, the site has revealed new details through a spec sheet. Apparently, the headphones will get new 8.4mm Dynamic Driver X drivers for “excellent audio quality” and “richer voices”. That’s significantly larger than the 6mm drivers of the XM4 headphones, although the 2023 design is smaller.
There are also two proprietary processors on board as well as dual feedback microphones. In total, each earbud has three mics for more accurate pickup of ambient sound. Sony combines Precise Voice Pickup technology with bone conduction sensors for better conversations and voice recognition.
Some other details confirmed by the spec sheet include an IPX4 water resistance rating, Bluetooth 5.3, Hi-Res Audio, DSEE Extreme, multi-point connections, and a 500mAh battery in the charging case. Again, the total battery life is rated at 24 hours, which is no different from the XM4.
