Sony could be looking to launch the WH-1000XM4 premium wireless noise cancelling headphones soon, after a product listing was spotted on the online store of retailer Walmart. The Japanese electronics manufacturer has been working on the next version of its popular high-end headphones for some time now, but this listing now suggests that the launch could be in the coming weeks. The Sony WH-1000XM3 was launched in late 2018, and is long overdue for an update which will help the company keep up with competition from Bose and Apple.
The listing for the Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones was still up on Walmart's online store in the US at the time of writing, and had been originally spotted by Android Police. The listing mentions the price as $348 (approximately Rs. 26,300), but the status shows as ‘out of stock', and the listing doesn't have an image either. What is more significant about the listing is the features and details mentioned, which is quite in-depth and suggests that the new headphones could come with significant improvements over the WH-1000XM3.
Some of the features that were already seen on the WH-1000XM3 will make an obvious return to the XM4 headset, such as active noise cancellation and support for the LDAC Bluetooth codec. However, notable additions include multi-point connectivity to allow the headphones to connect to two devices simultaneously, and improvements in the microphones to enhance performance of noise cancellation and on voice calls. Other technologies for sound improvement, and adaptive sound control are also mentioned.
The features mentioned are quite detailed, and suggests that the listing could be very close to the actual product features. Of course, Sony hasn't launched the WH-1000XM4 headphones yet, but earlier leaks have suggested that the headphones are on track for a 2020 launch. Walmart's price in the listing also seems accurate for the US market, although the India pricing is expected to be over Rs. 30,000.
Sony's two key competitors Bose and Sennheiser already launched the Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 and Sennheiser Momentum 3 Wireless respectively in late 2019, and Sony is already late to the party. Apple too is expected to get into the over-ear noise cancelling headphones space later this year, and Sony's XM4 update will need to be a huge step-up in terms of performance if it's to compete against the increasing competition.
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