Here's everything you need to know about Sony's next big earbuds ahead of their official launch
The Sony WF-1000XM6 are right around the corner, holding virtually no secrets after a number of comprehensive leaks over the last few weeks.
If you're a fan of ultra-high-end wireless earbuds with fancy designs, sophisticated audio technologies, and world-class active noise cancellation, you might be more excited about what Sony is planning to unveil later this week than Google's February 18 Pixel 10a launch or Samsung's Unpacked event near the end of the month.
As if to prove the WF-1000XM6 are worthy of the same kind of pre-release attention as the Galaxy S26, S26 Plus, and S26 Ultra, a typically rock-solid leaker from France is today essentially revealing all of the remaining secrets of Sony's next AirPods Pro rival (translated here) after the design was already unearthed last week.
Do these features seem familiar to anyone else?
- QN3e processor with eight adaptive microphones, adaptive NC optimizer, and three Ambient Modes;
- New speaker with LDAC technology, DSEE Extreme, and 10-band EQ;
- Beamforming microphones, bone conduction, wind reduction, and advanced AI for crystal clear calls;
- Optimized ergonomic design with insulated tips;
- 8 hours of uninterrupted listening time;
- 24 hours of total battery life with charging case;
- IPX4 water resistance;
- Touch controls, microphone management, smart gestures;
- 360 Reality Audio;
- Dynamic head tracking support;
- LE Audio, Auracast;
- Bluetooth multipoint, Fast Pair, Swift Pair;
- Adaptive sound control, Quick Attention mode, background music effect, Speak to Chat;
- Black and silver colors.
First things first, allow me to underline that this is probably not the Sony WF-1000XM6's full spec sheet. Also, these details are not technically official (and they're translated from French), so a few minor changes could still appear in the product's final US factsheet after Thursday's announcement.
The WF-1000XM6 look just as sleek in silver as in black. | Image Credit -- The Walkman Blog
With all of that said, I can't help but notice the many similarities between the information listed above and the WF-1000XM5's current features and capabilities. The battery life will apparently go unchanged (both with and without the bundled charging case factored in), the water resistance is not getting a (badly needed) upgrade, and as impressive as they may sound, all those audio technologies are already present on Sony's best earbuds.
That means the QN3e chip will likely be the number one improvement, replacing the... QN2e (of course) and purportedly claiming to offer significantly more speed and better noise reduction with the addition of two new adaptive microphones.
And that's the matching charging case of the black model. | Image Credit -- The Walkman Blog
The Sony WF-1000XM6 are also expected to pack a new speaker for an even better overall music listening experience than the already super-powerful WF-1000XM5, while the revised design is (as always) focused on all-day comfort and trying to find the perfect balance between that and style.
How much will the WF-1000XM6 cost?
This is actually something that's been rumored a couple of times before and shouldn't take you by surprise if you're familiar with the (typical) prices of the best wireless earbuds around.
Yes, Sony's next-gen WF flagship is expected to cost $329.99 in the US, thus matching the original price of its predecessor from all the way back in 2023. Of course, the WF-1000XM5 are relatively easy to come by at around $250 and even $230 nowadays, which is likely to be true for the WF-1000XM6 as well... if you're willing to wait six or nine months.
Will you be buying the Sony WF-1000XM6 when they're released?
Compared to the likes of Apple's AirPods Pro 3 or Samsung's Galaxy Buds 3 Pro (as well as the fast-approaching Galaxy Buds 4 and Galaxy Buds 4 Pro), you're clearly looking at a more expensive product here, which Sony is likely to justify by advertising as the "best noise-cancelling earbuds in the world"... once again.
So how excited should you really be?
It's pretty simple - if your experience tells you that Sony will indeed eclipse Apple and Samsung in those crucial ANC and overall sound quality departments, then you should be very excited about this long-awaited upgrade. Especially if you skipped the WF-1000XM5 and are still rocking the outdated WF-1000XM4.
If you care more about affordability or features like live translations and heart rate monitoring in your ears, then... it's crystal clear that these bad boys are not right for you.
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