The five-star Sony WH-1000XM5 ANC headphones first went on sale in 2022, and Sony tends to refresh its premium over-ear headphones each two years. The idea is that 2024 will see the launch of the WH-1000XM6.
Howeber, we’re not too positive we’ll see the Mk 6 headphone within the flesh in 2024. It’s all gone very quiet.
Usually we’d have heard a couple of rumours and seen some leaks from the standard locations however that hasn’t been the case and we’ve reached the purpose the place Sony would have often introduced the WH-1000XM6. It does seem as if the headphones received’t launch in 2024.
So fairly than mucking about with rumours and hypothesis, right here are some things that we’re anticipating, looking forward to, and aren’t prone to see in Sony’s upcoming WH-1000XM6.
The Mk VI over-ears will launch in 2025
The latest leak has come from Zackbucks on Chinese language social media website Weibo. As all the time, we’ll take it with a pinch of salt, however this leak does appear to make a level of sense.
As picked up on by GSMArena, Sony is seemingly taking a look at launching each its flagship true wi-fi and over-ears on the similar time. Which means the WH-1000XM6 is being pushed again to 2025 alongside the WF-1000XM6.
Given the previous few generations of the true wi-fi and over-ears have shared know-how (such because the V1 Built-in chip), it is smart to launch them collectively. In addition to that, Sony’s current focus has been on its new ULT line-up of headphones and audio system, whereas the leaks have involved the second era of its LinkBuds fashions.
The leak mentions that Sony is trying to launch each headphones within the first six months of 2025, and given how quiet the hearsay mill has been about each headphones, we expect there’s a diploma of reality about it.
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Snapdragon Sound help is unlikely
Except Sony do an enormous pivot, we’re considering it’s unlikely there’ll be help for Snapdragon Sound.
The WH-1000XM3 headphones had been the final to help Qualcomm’s chipsets, and since then Sony has additional targeted on creating its personal know-how to squeeze out as a lot bandwidth from Bluetooth streaming as it might.
So though Sony’s Xperia 1 IV smartphone function Snapdragon Sound help, we’re not anticipating that for the XM6. We don’t really feel Sony would wish to push a Bluetooth codec from a rival competitor over its LDAC answer, and Sony has put numerous assets into its V1 built-in processor. We merely can’t see Sony performing a u-turn on this.
Battery life might go up…
Sony’s caught to 30 hours battery life for the reason that WH-1000XM2, its feeling that 30 hours is greater than sufficient. That would change.
Heavy emphasis on might. As we stated, Sony is content material with how a lot battery life its headphones supply. Nonetheless, the Technics EAH-A800, Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wi-fi and even Sony’s personal WH-CH720N headphones supply 50, 60, and 35 hours respectively.
We’re not anticipating large modifications, so a bit battery enhance might be one of many headline upgrades for the brand new mannequin. If there isn’t a lift to the battery, another could be a lift to fast-charging.
A lighter slimmer design
Sony’s true wi-fi fashions have been getting smaller with every iteration. The over-ears have been getting lighter and fewer cumbersome. Our prediction is for that to proceed, though it could simply quantity to shaving off a couple of grams.
Sony has used recycled plastic for the body of its most current over-ears, and that’s saved the burden down for the CH720N (that are 192g).
It’s unlikely to be smaller. Sony over-ears pack rather a lot into their earcups, but when Sony proceed to make efficiencies (an space Sony is attempting to take advantage of) with its processor, noise-cancelling, and battery life, the profile of those headphones could also be slimmer than earlier than. We will’t see Sony going again to a collapsible design although.
Count on a giant deal with 360 Actuality Audio
360 Actuality Audio is Sony’s immersive 3D audio function, just like Dolby Atmos Music, and the WH-1000XM5, WF-1000XM5, and ULT Put on headphones all have this function, so it’s a cert that the WH-1000XM6 may have it too.
As we’ve talked about earlier than, 3D audio is turning into the subsequent battleground for headphone manufacturers with Bose, Sonos, and Apple all leaping onboard the spatial audio rocket.
We do marvel what new 360 Actuality Audio function Sony will convey for the WH-1000XM6. Maybe Sony has been taking a look at what Sonos did with its TV Audio Swap function…
Even higher noise-cancelling
In fact, you’d anticipate Sony to offer its noise-cancelling a lift given the WH-1000XM5 stay one of the crucial distinctive fashions in the marketplace for ANC, although there’s one space we’d wish to see an enchancment in contemplating that the Bose QuietComfort Extremely Headphones are the perfect over-ears for noise-cancelling.
Whereas the XM5 bettered the WH-1000XM4 is most areas for noise-cancelling, one space we felt they fell all the way down to their sibling is in suppressing voices.
A greater wi-fi connection
The Sony WH-1000XM5 had been good by way of providing a dependable connection in busy hotspots with the AAC codec, however much less so with the LDAC codec.
The connection turned uneven when LDAC was enabled. If there’s one factor we’d want for above all else, it might be a slicker connection when streaming in LDAC. Who needs sound this good to be interrupted by stops and begins?