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| The WF-1000XM5 may be nearly three years old by the time that its successor arrives, predecessor pictured. |
If you’ve been holding out for Sony’s next flagship earbuds, a major new leak suggests your wait has an official end in sight. Following earlier pricing hints, renowned industry insider billbil-kun has now provided what appears to be the full global launch timeline for the highly anticipated Sony WF-1000XM6.
This new intel comes just a week after the leaker’s initial report and paints a clear picture of Sony’s upcoming rollout. The current model, the excellent WF-1000XM5, launched in July 2023 and is now over 18 months old. Interestingly, Sony's over-ear counterpart, the WH-1000XM6, debuted less than a year ago, making a 2026 refresh for that line unlikely.
According to the latest details shared by billbil-kun on X (formerly Twitter), Sony has finalized its schedule. The company is reportedly planning to open global pre-orders for the WF-1000XM6 on February 12, with the first shipments expected to reach customers by February 23.
This aggressive timeline suggests an announcement is imminent. If these dates hold, we can expect Sony to begin its official teaser campaign and reveal around February 5—just over a week from now.
The leak, which you can find detailed in billbil-kun’s full report on Dealabs Magazine, doesn’t stop at dates. Perhaps the most crucial news for U.S. shoppers concerns the price. Earlier rumors hinted at a potentially cheaper tag, but it seems that won't be the case in North America.
billbil-kun reports that the WF-1000XM6 will carry a U.S. MSRP of $329.99. This represents a $30 (or roughly 10%) increase over the WF-1000XM5’s original launch price of $299.99. For context, you can still find the outgoing XM5 model for sale at retailers like Amazon.
While the final design and full feature set remain under wraps, the leaker notes that Sony is expected to launch its new high-end earbuds in a choice of just two classic color options: Black and Silver.
With premium noise-cancelling earbuds from Bose, Apple, and others constantly evolving, Sony’s move to solidify its next-generation flagship is a major moment for the audio market. All eyes will now be on early February to see if Sony makes it official.