Sony has produced some of the best noise-canceling headphones in the industry. The company released the WH-1000XM4 headphones last year as a new premium ANC option, and now there could be a new color and more audio features on the way.
An APK teardown can often predict features that may arrive in a future update of an application, but it is possible that any of the features we mention here may not make it in a future release. This is because these features are currently unimplemented in the live build and may be pulled at any time by the developers in a future build.
The Sony WH-1000XM4 is currently available in three colors: Black, Blue, and Silver. The Silver option is already closer to beige than silver, but now a true white option could arrive soon. As first spotted by user @justplayinghard on Twitter, a new string added in version 7.5 of the Sony Headphones Connect app mentions a new white color of the headphones. The other colors were already present in the same code.
<strong><string name="modelimage_wh1000xm4_white">a_device_image_wh_1000xm4_white</string></strong>
<string name="modelimage_wh1000xm4">a_device_image_wh_1000xm4_black</string>
<string name="modelimage_wh1000xm4_black">a_device_image_wh_1000xm4_black</string>
<string name="modelimage_wh1000xm4_blue">a_device_image_wh_1000xm4_blue</string>
<string name="modelimage_wh1000xm4_silver">a_device_image_wh_1000xm4_silver</string>
The APK file also contains an image of the white style, seen below. Just like the other models, the Sony logo and USB Type-C port have a gold-colored finish.
Interestingly, the app's code also reveals that new audio features are under development for the Sony WH-1000XM4. Some text strings mention an option that will "optimize" your smartphone using ear analysis results, so stereo tracks sound more immersive.
<string name="IASetup_Phone_Optimize_Detail">"By optimizing your smartphone using ear analysis results, you can enjoy music you regularly listen to in an optimized sound field. Optimize your smartphone?"</string>
<string name="IASetup_Phone_Optimize_Label">Optimize your smartphone</string> <string name="IASetup_Phone_Status_Done">Optimized</string>
<string name="IASetup_Phone_Status_NotOptimized">Your smartphone is not optimized yet</string>
<string name="IASetup_Phone_Welcome_Detail">"Enjoy the following music played on your headphones with spatial and immersive sound on your smartphone. - Stereo tracks (music you regularly listen to) - Content supported by 360 Reality Audio Optimize your smartphone and 360 Reality Audio supported music service app."</string>
Sony already has its own 360 Reality Audio technology for immersive music, and this feature could bring a similar experience to non-360 music. It remains to be seen how convincing the music upscaling will be, but with how great the WH-1000XM4 headphones already are, it's great that Sony isn't resting on its laurels.
Featured image: the Sony WH-1000XM4 in Silver