When it comes to the best wireless headphones, Sony is the leader of the pack. The Sony WH-1000XM5 have been our best pick for the better part of two years now, and they likely won’t lose that spot until Sony releases the next model in the series.
The next Sony headphones coming down the pipeline are most likely the Sony WH-1000XM6. They've yet to have an official announcement, but thanks to some recent reports that were filed with the FCC, we now know that they're on their way sooner rather than later.
So just what does Sony have planned for the sixth iteration of its class-leading wireless headphones? I’ve done some digging and rounded up all the Sony WH-1000XM6 news and rumors before their purported summer 2025 unveiling.
Sony WH-1000XM6: the news so far
Rumors of the Sony WH-1000XM6 have been swirling more or less since the day the Sony WH-1000XM5 were released. But it wasn’t until late January that we actually got our first real news of the WH-1000XM6 — a recent FCC filing first spotted by The Walkman Blog had lots of new details. While we can't be 100% sure that the headphones in the report are the WH-1000XM6, they have the model number YY2984, a fairly clear successor to the WH-1000XM5’s model number of YY2954.
The images that accompany the filing show a pair of wireless headphones with detachable earcups, similar to the ones we’ve seen on other premium cans like the Apple AirPods Max. The specs, while limited, claim that these new headphones will support Bluetooth version 5.3. That’s slightly behind the latest version of Bluetooth (version 6.0) that debuted in September of last year, but it’s new enough that it would support all the latest codecs, including Bluetooth LE that helps to mitigate battery drainage.
Speaking of batteries, the FCC listing doesn’t show a larger capacity Lithium Ion battery, but if the Sony WH-1000XM6 continues the trend of its predecessors, a 1300mAh battery isn’t out of the question. Also worth noting is the 5V and 9V power ratings. That dual rating suggests that these new headphones support fast-charging for quick fill ups before you leave the house.
For now, that’s all the tangible information we have on the WH-1000XM6, but that doesn’t mean we don’t have reliable data from older models we can use to predict just when and where we’re going to see the WH-1000XM6 on store shelves.
Sony WH-1000XM6: potential release date and price speculation
The confidentiality notice period on the FCC filing ends July 22 2025. If the Sony WH-1000XM6 are set for a summer 2025 launch, then that would follow Sony’s launch plans for the Sony WH-1000XM2, M3 and M4, all of which launched over the summer.
That being said, headphones don’t always launch right when their FCC filings end, and some actually come to the market before the FCC filing is public. My take is to use the July 22 2025 confidentiality notice period as a rough estimate as to when expect them. It could be later than that. It could be earlier than that. But either way, it’s going to be around that time.
Price is slightly harder to predict. The Sony WH-1000XM4 launched at the $349 price mark (£330 in the UK, AU$499 in Australia), but the Sony WH-1000XM5 upped the price to $399 (£380 / AU$649). That seems like a plausible estimate for the WH-1000XM6. However, that’s only if there’s no new tariffs implemented on electronics between now and then. If those go into effect, then Sony might be forced to charge $449 or even $499 for the new headphones.
Sony WH-1000XM6: What changes can we expect?
Well, everything I mentioned in the introduction seems like a lock: We’ll almost definitely see a better battery life, new Bluetooth codecs and those removable earpads. Hopefully, though, Sony has more planned for us.
In particular one complaint I’ve seen about the WH-1000XM5 is that the hinges are more fragile than on previous models. The switch to all-plastic made the construction more delicate overall, and that’s something that Sony should revisit in the 1000XM6 model. Another issue with the 1000XM5 is that they don’t fold up like the 1000XM4. That makes them slightly more difficult to travel with, and makes them feel more rigid and likely to break.
From a very technical perspective, I think Sony also needs to take a harder look at its spatial audio support. Yes, we’ve seen support for Sony’s own 360 Reality Audio on almost every one of its new headphones, but they really need support for the more-common Dolby Atmos format. There’s no way Apple will certify them for Apple Spatial Audio support — that’s more or less the chief selling point of AirPods right now — so Sony needs to adapt every Hi-Res and spatial audio format it can get its hands on.
Finally, I think it’s not unreasonable to expect better noise cancellation. When I wrote the reviews of the WH-1000XM4 and M5, I thought the noise cancellation was actually really good, but the competition has really upped its game since the M5’s release in 2022. With better processors available now, improving noise cancellation should be an easy lift.
Sony WH-1000XM6: outlook
At this point we don’t have a lot to go on, but thanks to this FCC filing and launch data from the five previous iterations of these headphones, Sony’s WH-1000XM6 launch plan is starting to come into focus.
There’s always wiggle room on the predictions and specs seen above — no product is final until it ships out of the factory (and even then there’s software updates) — but what you see above is more or less what you should expect to see later this year.
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