- The Sony WH-1000XM6 could be out in the next couple of weeks
- They may go back to the older folding design
- It seems likely that they’ll cost more than the WH-1000XM5
When it comes to the best over-ear headphones you can buy, our current list features both the WH-1000XM4 and the WH-1000XM5 from Sony – and it looks as though the Sony WH-1000XM6 pair are going to be unveiled before too long.
As per The Walkman Blog (via Notebookcheck), the Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones are set to be announced in the first or second week of May. However, it might be the middle of June before you can actually order them online or find them in shops.
The same source says the price will be around $479. As you’ll see from a read of our Sony WH-1000XM5 review, the current headphones launched at $399 / £380 / AU$649 (though they’re now cheaper) – so we’re looking at quite a substantial price hike.
Bearing in mind that the WH-1000XM5 headphones made their debut in May 2022, the follow-up pair have been a long time coming. The model before that, the Sony WH-1000XM4, were unveiled all the way back in August 2020.
What we think we know so far
There’s one other tidbit of information from this leak: the WH-1000XM6 headphones will apparently fold, unlike the WH-1000XM5 we have now. It’s a return to the design of earlier models, including the WH-1000XM4 and the Sony WH-1000XM3.
It’s a lot more information about a pair of headphones we haven’t really heard too much about so far, despite their launch apparently being imminent. One leak that has emerged suggests the color options are going to be black, platinum silver, and midnight blue.
Another leak from the start of the year pointed to improved Bluetooth capabilities and perhaps a redesigned and stronger hinge. Our expectations are pretty high, considering we’ve been waiting for these headphones for three years now.
As we’ve also seen the Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones make their way through regulatory filings, it seems very likely that they’re going to be unveiled in the coming weeks – and we will of course let you know as soon as anything is official.