News about Sony’s next-gen WF-1000XM5 wireless earbuds has been sparse, but that has changed after they were spotted in the official US database. Sony fan site TheWalkmanBlog noticed (opens in a new tab) what appears to be Sony’s flagship WF-1000XM5 headphone model in the FCC filing.
The report comes with some of the key features of the new model that would be the successor to Sony’s five-star WF-1000XM4 wireless earbuds.
While the FCC documents keep as much as they can (including the name) secret, the filing confirms that the new model will come with Bluetooth version 5.3, meaning Bluetooth LE Audio support is possible – although Sony may be trying push out your own LDAC Hi -Only Res system instead.
Reading between the lines, the filing suggests the new model will retain a very similar design to the Sony WF-1000XM4 as it appears to have the same touch pad as the previous flagship in-ear headphones.
Other details are thin on the ground, but the documentation also confirms that the new WF-1000XM5s will also maintain the same 3.85V voltage as their predecessors.
Based on Sony’s WH-1000XM5 over-ear headphones appearing at the FCC in early February 2022 before being officially launched by the Japanese tech giants in May this year, it looks like we can expect a late spring release. for new headphones.
Analysis: The submission offers a promising improvement – but not everything is ticked off our wishlist
The Sony WF-1000XM4 still tops our list of the best wireless earbuds for most people, so it’s not like Sony can’t keep up with the competition. But with solid competition from the likes of the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II and AirPods Pro 2, there’s plenty of room for improvement for their successors.
The confirmation of the Bluetooth 5.3 version is a big step in the right direction for the WF-1000XM5, especially if it means better sound quality and lower power consumption of Bluetooth LE Audio.
The FCC listing will only reveal so much at this stage, but the report doesn’t answer three features we believe should be prioritized for the new headphones.
There is no mention of support for the new Android Spatial Audio technology that Google is building into the operating system, nor of noise cancellation improvements that would bring the WF-1000XM5’s performance to that of competing Bose and Apple buds.
Probably the biggest improvement would be an increase in battery life, as the WF-1000XM runs out of power after eight hours of use.
While we wait for the full feature list of the new model, check out our guide to the best true wireless earbuds available today.