Sony WF-1000XM4 release date, price and what we want to see

The Sony WF-1000XM4 remains unannounced, but is very much looking like Sony’s next major wireless earbuds release. And following the excellent Sony WH-1000XM4 over-ear headphones, that’s an exciting prospect, especially given the WF-1000XM4 is likely making several major improvements.

Like the previous Sony WF-1000XM3, the WF-1000XM4 is set to feature active noise cancellation (ANC), but with an upgraded processor, potentially longer battery life and a completely overhauled design, this could easily tangle with the AirPods Pro and become a challenger for the best noise-cancelling headphones rankings. 

There are plenty of leaks to sift through, so while we wait for an official announcement here’s everything you need to know, including the potential Sony WF-1000XM4 release date, price and features.

Sony WF-1000XM4 release date

While there’s no solid information on a specific release date for the WF-1000XM4, recent FCC filings have significantly narrowed down the window — and a 2021 launch is looking likely.

Initially, FCC documents covering a pair of Sony-made, noise-cancelling earbuds mentioned a confidentiality agreement that ends on September 27 2021. With the relatively safe assumption that this filing does indeed cover the WF-1000XM4, that would give Sony until September 27 to reveal the earbuds on its own terms.

More recently, though, the Walkman Blog found that this confidentiality agreement is now due to expire on June 9. So while we still don’t know the exact release date, it’s highly probable that Sony will at least announce the WF-1000XM4 on or before June 8.

This would be earlier than previously expected for another reason: manufacturing delays caused by the COVID-19 outbreak. This issue said to have already impacted several other rumored tech releases, including the AirPods 3. If the WF-1000XM4 really does launch in early June, though, Sony will get a big head start on its Apple-made rival.

Sony WF-1000XM4 price

According to a major WinFuture report, the Sony WF-1000XM4 price will be €279 in Europe. No U.S. pricing was given but you can bet it will be a lot more expensive than than the original WF-1000X ($200) and the WF-1000XM3 ($230).

It could easily be pricier than the AirPods Pro ($249) and other luxury noise-cancelling earbuds like the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2 ($249), too.

Sony WF-1000XM4 design

Recent Sony WF-1000XM4 design leaks have shown off the new earbuds, as well as the charging case, from every angle. We’re fairly confident in these leaks, which come from The Walkman Blog and Twitter leaker mirai160525, as the design shown matches up perfectly with a previous WF-1000XM4 packaging leak. WinFuture also posted what appears to be an official Sony promo photo.

Consistently, these leaks reveal a drastic overhaul, with a much more rounded in-ear bud design than the previous model.

That would be fine by us: the long shape of the WF-1000XM3 meant it didn’t provide the greatest on-ear stability, nor was it flattering to sport when compared to smaller, more chic models like the Jabra Elite 85t.

The new design has also seemingly allowed the WF-1000XM4 charging case to shrink. The original FCC filing notably includes a basic image of the earbuds’ charging case (see below) that looked generally more compact than the WF-1000XM3’s case, and the Walkman Blog’s more recent leaks back that up. The WF-1000XM4 case will apparently measure 2.4 inches wide and a mere 1.3 inches tall, a significant shrinkage.

It’s also worth noting that on top of the new AirPods models rumored for release, Apple is said to be redesigning its current AirPods line. As reported by Bloomberg, the next version of the AirPods 2 could feature shorter stems and replaceable ear tips, while the AirPods Pro might be completely revamped and take on a more oval-shaped design similar to the Samsung Galaxy Buds Live or Google Pixel Buds 2. These rumors might have pushed Sony to flex its creative muscle and give the WF-1000XM4 a much sleeker, more modern look, as seen in these leaks.

The renders from mirai160525 also indicate that the Sony WF-1000XM4 will come in white as well as black. Previous leaks hadn’t ruled out multiple color options, but had only shown the black model.

Sony WF-1000XM4 specs and features 

Let’s start with the givens. The WF-1000XM4 will likely keep everything available in the Sony Headphones Connect app, including 360 Reality Audio support, an EQ with numerous presets, control customization, and select options to enhance hallmark features such as Adaptive Sound Control. Ambient Sound and Quick Attention are two others you can add to the list since both are already available on the previous model.

As far as improvements, it’s expected the WF-1000XM4 will receive an advanced mic-array system for enhanced call quality (or so we hope), better touch controls, stronger active noise cancellation, and a more fine-tuned soundstage. WinFuture also claimed that the WF-1000XM4 will have IPX4-rated water resistance, a marked improvement on the WF-1000XM3 — this didn’t have any certified ingress protection at all.

Again assuming that the FCC filing covers the WF-1000XM4 specifically, it also looks like the new buds will connect over Bluetooth 5.2. This improves on the Bluetooth 5.0 version used by the WF-1000XM3 with lower bandwidth and power usage when playing music, as well as the “Isochronous Channels” feature. This makes it easier for headphones to connect to several devices at once, with seamless switching between them.

The filing also references a new SoC, the MediaTek MT2822S. This is rumored to be a rebranded Airoha AB1568 chip, which would leave the WF-1000XM4 without support for the high-quality aptX Bluetooth codec but would add power management improvements on the WF-1000XM3’s SoC. This, in turn, might help out with battery life. WinFuture’s report also mentions a Sony V1 processor, though this could apparently focus on improving ANC effectiveness.

It’s also possible that enhancements made to the WH-1000XM4 over-ear headphones, from the preceding WH-1000XM3, could carry over to the WF-1000XM4 as well. Speak-to-Chat is a popular one, using the mics and advanced signal processing to recognize your voice and pause music when speaking. Sound technologies like DSEE Extreme and Edge-AI, which work to upscale compressed music and analyze music in real-time to reproduce more faithful sound, could be a go as well. Let’s not forget multipoint technology, so you can pair to two devices simultaneously and switch between them without disconnecting from either audio source.

Sony WF-1000XM4 battery and charging case

The WF-1000XM3 set the standard for battery life in the true wireless category when launched. Sony somehow figured out how to squeeze an impressive 8 hours (6 hours with ANC on) into these tiny in-ear monitors. 

The aforementioned WF-1000XM4 packaging leak suggests that the new model could keep the exact same battery performance as the WF-1000XM3: 6 hours of ANC playback with 18 hours available from the charging case. However, the more recent WinFuture support indicated that this may have changed to 8 hours of ANC playback with 16 hours from the case. That’s the same 24 hours total, but with more listening time per charge.

The new case may be able to recharge faster than the previous model: the WF-1000XM4 case’s charging output is listed as 5V = 140mA, higher than the WF-1000XM3 case’s 5V = 120mA.

One of the coolest, most underappreciated features on the WF-1000XM3’s charging case was NFC, which allowed users to instantaneously pair the buds by placing the case on the back on their Android smartphone. We’d be extremely surprised if the WF-1000XM4 dropped this, and the same goes for USB-C charging. Wireless charging is something Sony has yet to introduce on any of its wireless earbuds, but we’re thinking fourth time may be a charm.

Sony WF-1000XM4: What we want to see

All of Sony’s latest headphones and earbuds offer a ridiculous amount of functionality, but consumers always want more, especially when paying a premium. Based on our testing with several Sony models, including the WH-1000XM4 and WF-1000XM3, we feel there is room for improvement in design and sound, as well as new features. Here is our wish list of upgrades that we want to see on the WF-1000XM4.

aptX HD: WinFuture claims that the Sony WF-1000XM4 will support Sony’s LDAC tech, for better sound quality over a wireless connection. That’s great but we’d also like to see this Bluetooh codec supported as well.

A smaller, more practical design: Sony needs to figure out how to cram all of its high-powered components into smaller in-ear real estate. Period. And if that’s not the move, and we’re stuck with the long-shaped frame, then Sony has to enhance the fit drastically. Maybe it can take a cue from the UE Fits, which molds its gel-filled tips to a person’s ear in 60 seconds.

Adjustable ANC: Having 20 levels of adjustable ambient sound is cool and all, but in all honesty, our preference sways more towards having adjustable active noise cancellation. The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds lets users cycle 10 levels of ANC, and the technology also blends in with ambient listening to make external sounds more distinctive. The results are magnificent. Here is hoping Sony can do the same, or something just as unique.

Enhanced LDAC support: The WH-1000XM4 supports the company’s proprietary high-res codec, but not with multipoint technology. It seems difficult to accomplish, but Sony has plenty of time to crack the code.

More extravagant colors: Black and Silver are cool, but Sony needs to experiment and release more unique, fancy colorways. We feel the WF-1000XM4 could easily pull off the bold-and-shiny look, similar to the Jabra Elite Active 75t. A Mint, Titanium or Navy version with gold accents would be fire.

Sweat and water resistance: Sony never shared the IP rating for the WF-1000XM3, but it has been confirmed that the buds lacked sweat- and water-resistant protection. The company has made strides with its wireless sport earbuds, as demonstrated on the IP55-rated WF-SP800N, so we see no reason why the same can’t be done with the WF-1000XM4.

Wireless charging: Qi-enabled wireless charging is something Sony has yet to introduce on any of its wireless earbuds, but we’re thinking fourth time may be the charm. Even better would be if Sony took a page from Samsung’s playbook and implemented reverse wireless charging to charge up the buds with any Sony Xperia (or Android compatible) smartphone.