Sony's lineup of audio accessories is already impressive, but it's about to get even better with the addition of the WF-1000XM4, the latest entry to Sony's premium true wireless earbuds line.
Earlier today, an official product video was apparently shared to YouTube where it was quickly taken down, but not before it was rehosted on Reddit (via The Walkman Blog). In case the video gets removed from Reddit, we grabbed a bunch of screenshots and have a summary below of every spec and feature that was revealed.
The video starts off by highlighting the noise cancelling capabilities of the Sony WF-1000XM4. The noise cancelling is handled by a pair of microphones on the sides of both earbuds as well as the integrated V1 processor. For voice calls, the earbuds have microphones with beamforming technology, a bone conduction sensor, and automatic wind noise suppression. When you're trying to listen to your surroundings, you can enable ambient sound mode or speak to chat. The latter feature turns off ANC whenever the earbuds detect your speech.
Sony boasts the earbuds will have better audio with new driver units, Hi-Res Audio certification, LDAC streaming, support for DSEE Extreme, and support for 360 Reality Audio. Users can set up location-based profiles in the Sony Headphones Connect app and talk to the Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa.
In terms of battery life, the video reveals the WF-1000XM4 can last for 8 hours on a single charge with ANC enabled or 12 hours without ANC. The case provides battery backup for an additional 16 hours if ANC is enabled or 24 hours if it's disabled, meaning you can get between 24-36 hours of use depending on ANC use. When you need to recharge the buds, you can place the case on a standard Qi wireless charging pad or connect them via USB-C. Sony says a 5-minute charge yields 60 minutes of playback time.
Lastly, the video confirms the WF-1000XM4 will have an IPX4 water resistance rating. Many people use wireless earbuds outside, and it would be especially disappointing if a light splash of water ruined this premium product. Sony is rumored to price these earbuds at €279 in Europe, so they'll be some of the most expensive true wireless earbuds you can get. However, given the huge list of features, they certainly seem worth their price tag. Many of these features debuted on Sony's high-end WH-1000XM4 headphones, so it's nice to see them trickle down to Sony's smaller true wireless earbuds line.
We've been expecting this product to launch for some time now. Back in February, we caught our first glimpse at the product through a purported image of its packaging box sleeve. New information on the product didn't come until earlier this month when The Walkman Blog published a set of renders and a claim that the earbuds will support faster charging. A couple of days later, reputable leakers Roland Quandt and Evan Blass published high-res renders of the WF-1000XM4, giving us our best look yet at Sony's upcoming TWS earbuds. Earlier this week, Roland Quandt followed up with a nearly full breakdown of the specs and features of the WF-1000XM4, all of which a have been corroborated by today's leak. Given today's leak, it's only a matter of time until Sony just announces the product. I'd wager on an announcement happening next week.