Sony WH-1000XM6 noise canceling headphones pass through the FCC

Sony launched the WH-1000XM5 (such a lovely name, isn't it?) over-the-ear noise canceling headphones back in May of 2022, and believe it or not, that's almost three years ago.

So if you've been patiently waiting for the successor to show up, it looks like it's finally on its way. The WH-1000XM6 (seriously great naming!) has the model number YY2984 and what appear to be removable earpads along with a redesigned hinge.

That could amp up the longevity of this set, since in theory Sony could offer replacement earpads if yours break. Or it could sell various colors of earpads separately to allow you to customize your headphones more.

The XM6 (we're just going to call them that) have support for Bluetooth 5.3, which may or may not mean they will support Bluetooth LE audio. The SoC powering them could be made by MediaTek. Fast charging will be supported. The driver size seems to be the same as in the XM5.

The confidentiality window expires on July 22, 2025, but this doesn't mean that's when they will be announced. That's just when the FCC will make public its photos of the device along with its manual. For reference, note that the XM5 was announced 13 weeks before its confidentiality period with the FCC ended, so we assume something similar will happen this time around. Since the end of the confidentiality period is a few weeks earlier, perhaps the official announcement could come as soon as April.

Via