Details of Sony’s next-generation WH-1000XM5 headphones have been leaked, revealing a new design and more advanced specifications compared to the company’s current premium offering.
When it comes to wireless noise-canceling sound, Sony’s existing flagship WH-1000MX4 headphones are among the best on the market and without a doubt the biggest rival of AirPods Max, so what Sony has next up its sleeve naturally arouses interest among Apple users .
According to an anonymous retail source who spoke with Germany-based TeknikNytFor example, the successor to the Sony WH-1000XM4 will have a redesign that includes thinner hinged arms that connect the ear cups with a narrower headband reminiscent of the Bose 700. This has also led to speculation that the redesigned headband is metal rather than plastic.
The ear cup padding appears to be more extensive, but Sony has apparently dropped the collapsible folding mechanism that hid one cup inside the other, though The edge notes that the case does not seem to take up much more space once hidden away.
According to the retail source, the WH-1000XM5 will have a battery life of up to 40 hours with active noise reduction of, which is 10 hours longer than the XM4’s. The total charging time is said to be 3.5 hours over USB-C, which is about 30 minutes longer than the current generation.
The three microphones have reportedly been relocated, and an NC / Ambient button replaces the “Custom” found on the XM4s, though the button will likely remain reprogrammable to activate voice assistants and the like. These cans are also said to have an extra ANC processor and a new sound driver, suggesting improved noise reduction and sonics, but the details are sparse on that front.
The release date of the XM5 headphones is still unknown, but they appeared in FCC documents a few months ago, so they’ll probably arrive sometime this year. Until then, the $ 349 XM4s remain very popular with Apple users, who are dissatisfied with the relative weight and high price of the $ 549 irAirPods Max.
There are currently no rumors suggesting that a new version of AirPods Max could come in the near future, but it is worth noting that Apple reportedly removed several features from the originals such as replaceable headbands and a more affordable sports option, so these can always appear in the future model. Apple could also add lossless Apple Music playback support, which would require a new audio protocol with higher bandwidth than Bluetooth provides.