It ’s been almost three years since Sony announce theWH-1000XM5 — its current flagship wireless headphone . And if a latterly reveal Federal Communications Commission ( FCC ) filing is any indication , the wait for the XM5 ’s successor may presently be over . The Walkman Blogfound an FCC Label and Location documentfiled by Sony on January 22 , 2025 for a band of headphonesbearing the model number YY2984 . There ’s no reference to “ WH-1000XM6 ” and Sony ’s intimate headphone code ( YY1234 ) are sequent in guild of release date , and not get in touch to type or sort of Cartesian product . So while the timing and the diagram powerfully intimate the beingness of the XM6 , we ca n’t say for sure .
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If these are in fact the WH-1000XM6 , the diagram points to two new intention elements that could discover these new cans from the XM5 . The most obvious of these are the removable ear cushions . On the XM5,the ear cushions can be replace , but they are n’t designed to be well removed . Because of this , Sony chose to print the FCC ID entropy on a semi - circular recording label applied to the earcup ’s mesh wicket . If you vagabond the border of the ear shock back a routine , it ’s plainly visible .
On this Modern FCC diagram , the recording label localization is on the interior of the earcup itself , and can only be access if you remove the ear shock . The diagram does n’t show how the shock stays bind , though magnets have demonstrate to be the method of choice on many flagship mannikin , like theApple AirPods Max , Sonos Ace , andMaster & Dynamic MW75 .
The less obvious variety is the incision where the headband meets the earcup .
When Sony release the XM5 , it abandoned the fold - up / fold - flat purpose of the WH-1000XM4 in favour of a fold - flat plan with a blot out interior yoke . This take on with some resistor from observers who choose the older design . But the biggest issue with the XM5 ’s design is its durability , not its want of a 2nd fold . Reddit’sr / SonyHeadphonescommunity gets regular posts from substance abuser sharing deplorable photos of their XM5 , broken at the point where the headband slider meets the rotating earcup pivot .
It looks like Sony is wedge with the hidden duad , but the drawing suggests a more rich connection , perchance with a folding hinge . Sony used a exchangeable construction on itsULT Wear headphonesfrom 2024 .
The Walkman Blog believes it has found grounds for other feature , admit :
The report also suggests that the new cans will get a May 2025 launch , based on the confidentiality dates find in the FCC document . That would be consistent with the timing of the XM5 launch ( May 2022 ) .
For now , however , we hold off . But keep your center pare : between now and May we ’re likely to get leak photos of these fresh earphone whether they turn out to be the WH-1000XM6 , or some other Sony model .
