First look: Sony’s premium earbuds are getting a major makeover

Sony’s next-generation premium wireless earbuds are on the way, and a leak suggests that the launch could be just around the corner. Despite that leak, Sony has remained tight-lipped about the WF-1000XM6 and its launch date. Lending further credence that a launch is imminent, a new leak has emerged, giving us our first glimpse at the earbuds.

Unlike the launch date leak, this information doesn’t come from a tipster. Instead, this leak comes directly from a Thai retailer. Spotted by Mr_Snail10 from Reddit, the website Power Buy briefly had a listing up for the WF-1000XM6. Although the page has been taken down, The Walkman Blog managed to capture screenshots before the listing became no longer accessible.

Outside of minor details like active noise cancellation, ambient sound mode, and an IPX4 rating, there were no specifications to be found on the page. However, this listing did contain a collection of images showcasing the WF-1000XM6 for the first time.

What’s immediately noticeable is that Sony has redesigned the earbuds. The sixth iteration of the WF-1000XM line takes on a pill-shaped design, in contrast to the more circular design of its predecessor. Another noticeable design change is the charging case, which adopts a less curvy form than before.

It’s also worth pointing out that these earbuds appear to have three external microphones. The Walkman Blog suggests there could be a fourth microphone hiding inside, bringing the total up to four. The outlet also points out that the foam tips may not have an internal silicone layer like the tips for the XM5 do.

Last week, we learned that the WF-1000XM6 could come with a Sand Pink color option. It appears that only colors that were available in this listing were Black and Platinum Silver. Taking this into consideration, if we do get a Sand Pink version, it seems like it may not be available at launch.