Although Sony has not yet made an official announcement, rumors suggest that the company is planning to release the Sony WF-1000XM5. It is expected to be its latest flagship wireless earbuds. The new earbuds would succeed the highly acclaimed Sony WF-1000XM4. It has consistently topped the list of the best wireless earbuds since its release.
Overview: Sony Wf-1000xm5 Review
Sony seems to be expanding its range of headphones in 2023, with the launch of two pairs of over-ear headphones. These include the Sony WH-CH520, and more recently, the Sony WF-CH700N, an affordable pair of noise-canceling earbuds. Sony has recently released the Sony WH-1000XM5 wireless headphones, which represent the fifth generation of its noise-canceling headphones.
Following this release, some anticipate that Sony would launch new earbuds. They also think that it would be the fifth generation of the popular earbuds. There has been no official announcement yet. But leaked images of the earbuds and sightings in regulatory filings suggest that they are likely to be released in the first half of 2023.
At this point, we have some information about the upcoming Sony earbuds. They are aiming to compete with the top noise-canceling earbuds. This is based on details in the official regulatory filing, as well as some predictions based on Sony’s past releases.
Additionally, we have some expectations about what the earbuds will offer. When making these predictions, we are drawing from our experience testing other leading true wireless earbuds.
Anticipated Release Date & Price
Sony’s high-end earbuds have always come with a premium price tag. But in recent years, their prices have been steadily increasing. For instance, the Sony WF-1000XM3 buds launched in 2020 cost around $230 / £220 / AU$399. But the newer WF-1000XM4 released in 2021 was priced at $279 / £250 / AU$449.
This upward trend in pricing depends on the factors such as the use of more advanced technology, increasing costs of materials required to manufacture earbuds and a global shortage of microchips. We expect the Sony WF-1000XM5s to hit the market in mid-2023 when there may still be high prices and shortages. So, it is possible that they could cost as much as $300 / £280 / AU$500.
Understandably, advanced technology can increase the cost of producing earbuds. But we hope that Sony can keep the price of the upcoming WF-1000XM5s the same as the previous model. Note that the WH-1000XM5 over-ear headphones released in 2022 were more expensive than their predecessor. So, we aren’t too optimistic about this possibility.
On a positive note, Apple recently released the AirPods Pro 2 in late 2022 at the same official price as the previous model in the US. So, we hope that Sony can follow suit and keep the price of the WF-1000XM5s in check.
Sony Wf-1000xm5 Review -Main Features
As of now, Sony has not released any official information about the Sony WF-1000XM5s. However, the FCC filing has revealed that these earbuds will be equipped with Bluetooth version 5.3. Which means they could potentially support Bluetooth LE Audio. This new Bluetooth wireless standard has the potential to revolutionize the way we listen to music.
However, given Sony’s history of favoring its proprietary LDAC wireless system over other formats, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the company prioritize LDAC and delay the adoption of LE Audio. The Walkman Blog has leaked an image of the underside of the case of the new earbuds, revealing a larger 5 V = 230mAh battery compared to the WF-1000XM4’s 5 V = 140mAh battery.
This means that the new earbuds will likely have shorter charging times. Additionally, the buds will use the same touch panel control as their predecessor. While official details about the Sony WF-1000XM5s are currently unavailable, we can speculate about their potential features and express our desires for what we hope to see in the new earbuds.
Features That We Would Like to See
1. More Efficient & Inclusive Design
The recent image leaks show a teardrop shape with a less bulky earpiece that tapers towards the neck. We hope the XM5s will fit extra small and extra-large ear canals, as competing earbuds like the AirPods Pro come with extra small tips. The XM4s came with small, medium, and large silicone ear tips and a useful fit test.
2. Better Noise Cancellation
With the Sony WF-1000XM5s, we anticipate an even more remarkable noise cancellation performance with an enhanced algorithm that can rival Bose’s earbuds. This includes improved noise isolation and ambient noise reduction, all while maintaining excellent audio quality.
3. Updated Bluetooth features & Android Spatial Audio
In addition to advanced noise cancellation, we’re hoping that the upcoming Sony WF-1000XM5 true wireless earbuds will support Bluetooth LE Audio, allowing for higher-quality audio from a wider range of devices. This would be a big step forward from Sony’s current reliance on its own LDAC hi-res tech. Bluetooth LE Audio also promises better connectivity, even when not listening in high quality.
Moreover, we’re hoping that Sony will include support for Android Spatial Audio in the WF-1000XM5 buds. This feature, currently exclusive to AirPods on iOS devices, creates a three-dimensional soundstage that tracks the movement of your head, resulting in an immersive experience that’s especially impressive for Dolby Atmos movies.
4. Better Water-Resistance & Battery Life
The new Sony earbuds need to have better water resistance than its predecessor’s IPX4 rating, which only protects against splashes and sweat. An IPX5 rating, which offers protection against sustained exposure to water, would be a welcome improvement. It would also be great to see the charging case improve to at least IPX4.
Additionally, the battery life of the XM4 buds and their charging case, which currently provide 8 hours and 16 hours respectively, is not exceptional. If Sony doesn’t improve the battery life of the WF-1000XM5, it will fall behind the competition. However, considering that Sony didn’t significantly improve the battery life of the XM5 over-ear headphones, we may not be so lucky.
