Sony makes some of the best headphones in the market, and the WH-1000XM5 leads the pack. Sleek, stylish, comfortable, packed with tons of awesome features, the XM5 are no doubt incredible — but, I'd argue, they're not perfect.
If there's any major feature upgrade Sony's XM5s could do with, it would be wireless charging. Lucky for me, rumors are already beginning to swirl regarding Sony's next pair of ANC over-the-ear headphones, the Sony WH-1000XM6. And they could be closing in on a big reveal following an FCC filing leak in late January.
Out of all the many things we'd like to see on the Sony XM6s, my personal pick is definitely an odd one. But it lends itself to total convenience, and with an array of rival brands on the market sporting the very same feature, I really hope Sony takes notice and adds wireless charging to the XM6.
Catching up to the rest of the crowd
There are tons of various over-ear headphones with wireless charging capabilities on the market, but they're often relegated to the best gaming headsets. It sort of makes sense, blending the (very necessary) RGB lights gamers love with sleek stands or small charging pads.
Some, like the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro, even have detachable batteries with dedicated charging ports built into their audio receivers. I doubt Sony would take this route with its upcoming XM6 headphones, but it is an intriguing option — especially given the leaked patent filing of removeable earcups.
Personally, I'd rather Sony take the route that most of the best wireless earbuds take, like the Nothing Ear, which can just be dropped on a wireless charging bed and be totally forgotten. But Sony could also take the more involved approach of leveraging a wireless charging bed with precise positioning on one of the cups. It's better visualized by Marshal Major V headphones, which can be wireless charged on a Qi-enabled charging pad.
If that's the route Sony goes down, the XM6 should also look to copy the Major V's Battery Preservation mode which, as we said in our review, "extends playtime by limiting the charging speed (no more than 90%) to prolong the battery's lifespan".
Drop-and-forget-it convenience
Convenience is key. I love my Sony XM5 headphones, but (call me lazy if you'd like) I'm getting tired of having to remember to plug it in when the battery's low. I often even forget, and I'm either at the gym or halfway to the office when I get the dreaded "Low Battery" alert in that calm and cool voice. And it's dead ten minutes later.
I don't think I'm alone when I say I'm over the constant fiddling with wires and chargers. It's 2025, after all, shouldn't those be gone by now?
I get that it's not as common in over-ear headphones, but Sony's WF-1000XM5 earbuds have wireless charging, so it's not new to the brand. How exactly it might implement that specifically is hard to guess, but I wouldn't be opposed to buying a separate charging stand or Qi charging pad for that convenience.
It's a big ask, but in a crowded market, Sony's top-tier headphones need every possible advantage they can get to stay at the top of the class.
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