It goes without saying that Sony has its own way of making some of the best wireless earbuds. In fact, some audio enthusiasts do not even feel the need to compare the WF-1000XM4 and WH-1000XM5 with others before making a purchase. But will the case be the same for the upcoming Sony WF-1000XM5?
Given the fact that the WF-1000XM4 is a great pair of earbuds, we have a lot of high expectations for its successor. But months before Sony unveiled the WF-1000XM5, The Walkman Blog obtained leaked images of the TWS buds. And this leak gives us pretty much a detailed look at the hotly anticipated wireless earbuds.
The Earbuds of Sony WF-1000XM5
The leaked images suggest the Sony WF-1000XM5 buds will feature a slimmer and more compact form factor. Compared to the WF-1000XM4, the WF-1000XM5 buds look to have a sculpted base instead of a flat one. This design change could make the buds sit more comfortably in your ears.
An older FCC filing regarding the Sony WF-1000XM5 revealed the other side of the buds. It will face outwards when you wear the buds and have a touch function. Like the XM4 buds, this touch panel will support touch interaction, allowing you to control the music playback. The touch panel will also pack the Bluetooth antenna inside.
The tactile dot of the Sony WF-1000XM5 is pretty much on the same spot on the left earbud. And just above the dot, there is a hole in the housing. We are not sure what this hole is for. It could be for enhancing the Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) performance or for voice capture.
Another thing that stands out from the leaked pictures is the gloss black plastic. It is unclear whether the final Sony WF-1000XM5 buds will have the same type of build. What’s so unusual about it? Usually, the WF-1000XM series of buds boast a hard matte finish.
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Other than that, the pictures inside the Sony WF-1000XM5 buds reveal very complex circuitry. So, do not expect the buds to be highly repairable. But the buds’ inside shows they might come with a single-driver design.
Charging Case
There are not a lot of changes in the Sony WF-1000XM5 charging case design. To start with, the case is more rounded and seems more like a river pebble. This specific design will surely make the charging case more pocket friendly.
However, at first glance, it seems that the charging case is smaller than the case of the Sony WF-1000XM4. That first lead us to believe that the total battery life of the XM5 buds might take a hit. But the images show that the case features a 5V 230mAh battery rating.
To compare, the Sony Sony WF-1000XM4 had 5V 140mAh battery specifications. So, the upcoming buds will surely offer better overall run time than their predecessor.
Other than that, the charging case seems to have a matte plastic finish, which gives us the hope of seeing the same finish on the buds. Also, the charging light of the case is now outside.
As expected from the flagship buds, Sony will offer Qi wireless charging for the WF-1000XM5. However, the main microcontroller of the charging case appears to be the same as the WF-1000XM4’s charging case. So, the charging speed is unlikely to change. Also, USB-C is standard for the charging case.
With this leak, we know pretty much everything about the Sony WF-1000XM5 other than the software features and choice of materials. And as the prototype device is already out in the wild, there’s a chance that Sony might announce the buds pretty soon. But before that happens, we will surely let you know if any new info about the buds comes out. So, stay tuned.
