An official Sony video leaked on YouTube detailed every feature of the electronics giant's upcoming WF-1000XM4 earbuds, but it has since been taken down. However an eagle-eyed fan had taken a copy a video and uploaded it to Reddit, which became the basis of a wide-scale media frenzy.
Sony WF-1000XM4 High-Quality Wireless Audio Through LDAC, DSEE Extreme Upsampling and More
In the video as detailed in Engadget, Sony stressed that the newest version of their earbuds product has newly designed drivers for enhanced sound quality. It highlighted the new buds' vastly improved V1-chip-powered noise canceling features, which is handled by a pair of microphones on both sides.
What's even more exciting is that the video also confirms that the WF-1000XM4 is waterproof, touting an IPX4 water-resistance rating. As such, a light splash or drop of water would not do any amount of harm of the product.
A leak had also stated that these wireless earphones will support high-quality wireless audio transmission through LDAC, Sony's proprietary technology transmitting Hi-Res audio through Bluetooth and DSEE Extreme Upsampling technology, which the Japanese tech monolith claims would make compressed audio files livelier.
For voice calls, the mics on the ear buds feature beamforming technology, a bone conduction sensor and automatic noise suppression. But if you need to listen to your surroundings, you can select ambient sound mode or the Speak-to-Chat, which turns off active noise cancellation (ANC) if the earbuds notice that you are speaking.
Sony WF-1000XM4: Enhanced Battery Performance
Battery performance is said to be the WF-1000XM4's strength, as Sony will further improve capacity to offer up to eight hours of playtime with ANC on. This is a two-hour increase from the predecessor model. As for its Qi charging, the earbuds can be recharged twice, thus having over 25 hours of playback possible. Without ANC, battery life is pegged at 12 hours, and 36 hours with the case.
Read Also: Sony Earbuds WF-1000XM4 Specs Leaked; High-Res Audio Support, 6-Hour Battery Life Teased
As for pricing, the video did not state any figures, but other leaks suggest that the Sony WF-1000XM4 will cost around $342. The Sony XM3 was sold for $230 at the time of its release.
Sony WF-1000XM4: Leaked Design
The Walkman Blog previously leaked that the new WF-1000XM4 is of a more compact, round design than its predecessor but should carry a similar color scheme. It could also be noticed that there are rubber tips as openings for the microphones.
According to The Verge, Sony will retain its signature black and copper, as well as rose and gold look.
Fans may also not wait too long to finally see Sony's first new wireless earbuds model. Details mentioned on The Walkman Blog show that they might hit stores as early as next month, based on Federal Communications Commission (FCC) documents.
For months, rumors had circulated about Sony's new WF-1000XM4. Prototypes were revealed in FCC documents as model number YY2948 certified by the FCC and Bluetooth SIG, making observers speculate that the new model was in the works. The FCC document also had renders of the buds' case, which drew interest for its rounder shape which was akin to Sony's other offerings.
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