It’s about that time of the year for Japanese brand Sony, when leaks and alleged renders of its upcoming WF Series earbuds start to leak from its rusty plumbing. And like clockwork, the company’s next generation flagship earbuds, the WF-1000XM6, have reared their ugly heads.
The alleged product renders were leaked online via what seems to be a Thailand-based online retail outlet, Power Buy (it’s been removed already), which in turn was first posted on Reddit by a Mr_Snail10. The page lists the alleged WF-1000XM6 with a retail price of ฿11,990, which is approximately RM1,500. Given that the WF-1000XM5 retailed at RM1,399 when it first launched in 2023, this definitely feels in line with Sony’s pricing strategy.
What is interesting and important to take note is the shape and design of both the earbuds and its charging cradle, respectively. Starting with the buds, the WF-1000XM6 is clearly abandoning the glass-based touch sensors on the back of each earbud, and fully embracing an all-plastic body.
For that matter, the design of earbuds now looks more pill-shaped, bean-like even. This is interesting because, for the past two generations, Sony adopted a more circular, spherical, and compact look.
Additionally, the renders of the WF-1000XM6 also clearly show three microphones visible on each of the earbuds. Further, another close up shows that the Japanese brand is still retaining the foam-based eartips, rather than a silicone-based one. Again, it’s par for the course, given that the WF-1000XM3 was the last time we saw silicone-based eartips.
Then there’s the casing, or charging cradle of the WF-1000XM6. Again, instead of the circular, compact, and rounded aesthetic, the renders show a more “squarish” design, reminiscent of the design of the very first WF-1000X. Granted, it still looks more compact, but for those of you who’ve been loyal to Sony and its premium wireless audio products, you get what we’re talking about.
Sony’s WF Series Earbuds Through The Years
Sony first entered the wireless earbuds market back in 2017, when it debuted the WF-1000X at IFA 2017. The first generation earbuds were…look, we’re not going to sugarcoat this: it was bad.
The sound quality of those earbuds notwithstanding, the first generation 1000X were mired with a plethora of problems: Bluetooth connectivity problems, appalling shielding from external interference, which in turn led to any audio cutting out or stuttering, and really poor battery life. Less than three hours, to be specific.
It took two years – this also became the default lifecycle for the brand’s earbuds – before Sony got their act together and redeemed itself with the launch of the WF-1000XM3. In our review, we found Sony had basically addressed all the major issues it had, and again, silicone eartips. The only issue our writer had with them was that the volume ceiling could’ve been higher.
In 2021, Sony launched the WF-1000XM4. The earbuds introduced the new rounded and circular design that we mentioned earlier.
Sony shifted its design tastes from elongated to compact and rounded. This entry also marked Sony’s use of foam-based eartips, moving away from the silicone-based eartips. That came with its own set of problems; the structural integrity of the eartips would deteriorate over time. Sony clearly knew about the issue, which is why the company also began selling individual sets of eartips, à la carte at the time.
As stylish as they looked and as full as they sounded, the WF-1000XM4 also suffered from internal power issues, and more specifically, with the left earbud. As time went by, several folks who purchased the earbuds began reporting that the affected earbud couldn’t hold a charge for more than half an hour. A far cry from the original eight hours that it originally boasted.
In 2023, the WF-1000XM5 came onto the scene. Featuring a smaller, more compact design, these earbuds sported a more glossy finish all around, plus glass-based touch sensors at the back. The earbuds still use foam-based tips, but compared to their predecessor, these are certainly more durable.
We’ve reached out to the local representative for Sony Malaysia regarding the WF-1000XM6 and its potential launch period, now that the earbuds are technically out in the open. At the time of this publication, they have yet to comment.
(Source: GadgetMatch, The Walkman Blog, Reddit)
