Leaked images suggest Sony is reissuing its popular WH-1000XM4 headphones as a more affordable model, featuring new Bluetooth 6.0 support and minor feature reductions, expected to launch in September.
Sony appears to be preparing a return for its WH-1000XM4 headphones, this time as a lower-cost reissue that keeps the familiar design but trims a few features. Leaked images published by WinFuture show a model called the WH-1000XM4C in black, white and violet, looking very close to the 2020 original. The same report says the new version is due to arrive in early September, with a launch price of about €250.
The most notable change appears to be support for Bluetooth 6.0, according to excerpts from Sony documentation seen by WinFuture. That is a newer standard than the Bluetooth 5.0 used by the original WH-1000XM4, which Sony still lists with NFC, DSEE Extreme and up to 30 hours of battery life with active noise cancellation switched on. Whether the newer wireless specification will bring any practical improvements is unclear, but it would make the headset more up to date on paper.
Other details suggest Sony has made savings elsewhere. The NFC logo is absent from the leaked images, pointing to the possible removal of one-touch pairing. Battery life is also said to fall to 27 hours with noise cancelling enabled and 34 hours without it, down from 30 and 38 hours on the original model. Even so, the core hardware appears unchanged, with 40mm drivers and the same 4Hz-40,000Hz frequency response.
If accurate, the WH-1000XM4C would sit below the current WH-1000XM6 and offer buyers a cheaper route into Sony’s 1000X range. That may matter because the WH-1000XM4 has remained highly regarded even after the arrival of newer models. The original headphones were discontinued, which makes a reissue more interesting for listeners who want Sony’s noise cancelling sound without paying flagship prices.
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