Sony’s WF-1000XM5 earbuds have allegedly been leaked online
No word on Qualcomm aptX Lossless support though.
Image: Sony
Sony’s upcoming WF-1000XM5 earbuds will sport a smaller design and upgraded internals, according to reports circulating online.
Foremost, leaked images from The Walkman Blog reveal that the WF-1000XM5 buds have a more compact shape than its successor. The inner side of the buds (that come into contact with your ears) also look to be curved rather than flat like the XM4’s, which should help them sit in your ears more snugly.
Like the XM4’s, the new buds feature a tactile dot on one of the shells, coupled with a microphone hole located beside it. And per a recent FCC filing, the earbuds should include a touch panel for the control of audio playback, though this part isn’t exactly visible from the pictures. The touch panel will also be integrated with the Bluetooth antenna.
As for the case, Sony has switched from three contact points to just two contact points for charging. The case also looks to be rounder, with the LED indicator now a small dot on the front instead of a bar. In addition, an updated power specification of 5V = 230mAh (instead of 5V = 140mAh) suggests that the earbuds could feature a larger battery capacity, or at least require a shorter time to be fully juiced.
Meanwhile, other standard features on the XM4 like USB-C and wireless charging, active noise cancelling (ANC), Ambient Sound Control, DSEE Extreme, 360 Reality Audio etc. should carry over to the upcoming release. And while we’re certainly crossing our fingers for Qualcomm aptX Lossless support, there’s a good chance Sony might just stick with its LDAC codec on the XM5.
