Sony WH-1000XM4, a name that’ll echo through time for years to come, might actually be having a successor in the not too distant future. According to some recent leaks, there has been ample evidence of Sony working on a new pair of headphones that appear to be suspiciously similar to their WH lineup, and at this point, it’s pretty safe to assume that just very well might be the next headphone in the WH lineup called “Sony WH-1000XM5”. In this article, we’ll do a small discussion on what to expect from these headphones, the possible release date, the features, and all things in between. So, without further ado, let’s begin!
Expectations from Sony WH-1000XM
The new pair of headphones, which we are at this point assuming will be titled WH-1000XM5, might just have been revealed in what looks like a recent patent filed by the company itself. The patent, which was spotted by The Walkman Blog, is describing what appears to us as an engineering prototype for a pair of over-ear headphones that possesses the model number YY2954. If these are what we think they are, we can almost say with certainty that these are the codes for the upcoming Sony WH-1000XM5. If the patent is indeed for the upcoming headphones, then we just might have had our first impression in terms of appearance. However, it does have a comparatively basic illustration of a set of headphones with oval-shaped earcups, a thin headband, and what appears to be an FCC nameplate sitting under the left earcup.
According to The Walkman Blog, this could indicate how the WH-1000XM5 might be going for a different style of the headband. The repositioning of the nameplate could be suggesting how the headbands could be comparatively thinner to house the plate, or better yet, made out of metal which would make the fans very happy! But again, it’s also likely that Sony might’ve just moved the plate for an overall cleaner look, but the idea of a metal headband is pretty exciting for us! According to the import listing for a Sony Headset provided by The Walkman Blog, we can see how it relates to the pair of headphones we saw in the patent. And, this listing contained the colors Silver and Black. Therefore, we can assume that the upcoming WH-1000XM5, much like their predecessors, will come in SIlver and Black variants.
In terms of power, according to the patent, it shows the internal battery rating of these cans is 3.8v, topping the 3.7v rating of their predecessor. If this is true, the WH-1000XM5 could actually beat the astonishing 38-hour battery life of the WH-1000XM4. Incredible selling point right there, among others. We could also expect a fast charging feature since the patent describes a 5v/9v USB rating for charging. Since the confidentiality agreement on the document ends on the 8th of August, it’s safe to assume a launch during August 2022. Further strengthening the “August” idea is when you realize Sony’s launching pattern, as the WH-1000XM4 was released back on August 6, 2020, and the Sony WH-1000XM3 was also released on August 30, 2018. If it does happen, the headphones could give its competitors like Apple Airpods Max 2 and the first Sonos Headphones an incredibly challenging time. How challenging though, only time will tell.
Ending Thoughts
With the release of Sony WH-1000XM5 on the horizon, it’s a great time to be an audio enthusiast. Sony already rocked the whole world with their WH-1000XM4 before, and things are looking incredibly bright for their upcoming predecessor.
