Sony Wf-1000Xm6: Release Date Prediction, Price Speculation, and 5 Things on Our Wishlist

The Sony WF-1000XM5 have been out for less than a year, but we're already thinking about their successors. Too soon? We don't think so. Sony usually launches a new pair of flagship true wireless earbuds every two years, so chances are the XM6 are a little over 12 months away. That's not that long, given the significance of the WF-1000XM range.

The big question is: what will Sony do next? Its true wireless earbuds have continually pushed the boundaries of what's possible, and that sense of innovation and sheer quality has now filtered down to its more affordable earbuds. The Sony WC-C500 and WF-C700N both picked up 2023 What Hi-Fi? Awards in their respective price categories (alongside the WF-1000XM5 at the high end, of course). To improve on the WF-1000XM5, Sony will have its work cut out.

But don't worry, we're here to help. As well as the latest rumours doing the rounds, we've compiled a list of what we'd like to see in Sony's next flagship pair to help make the best even better. You're welcome, Sony.

Sony WF-1000XM6: release date speculation

As of yet, all we have to go on is a little brain power and the current Sony release schedule for its WF-1000XM range. The WF-1000XM3 were released in August 2019, followed by the WF-1000XM4 true wireless earbuds on June 8th, 2021. In 2023, the XM5 made their proud debut on 24th July. 

You don't have to be a Harvard maths professor to figure out the pattern here. Sony tends to release its premium true wireless earbuds every two years, usually in the summer months. That would mean that a new pair, the hypothetical WF-1000XM6, would arrive sometime between June and August 2025. That feels like a lifetime away.

It also makes sense considering how many spinning plates the Sony audio department has to deal with. Interspersed with the premium WF-1000XM range, there's also the small matter of the over-ear WH-1000XM headphones, usually released every two years, not to mention potential budget and mid-range earbuds (the follow-ups to the WF-C700N and WF-C500, for instance) to boot. Sony has a lot on its plate, so don't expect the WF-1000XM6 to arrive any time soon.  

Sony WF-1000XM6: price prediction 

At launch, the WF-1000XM5 set you back £259 / $299 / AU$419. Those prices have dropped – we've seen them as low as £219 – but only momentarily. Most of the time, you'll pay full whack.

They're a little more expensive than the WF-1000XM4, which arrived in mid-2021 at a retail price of £250 / $280 / AU$450, while the preceding XM3s were tested at £220 / $230. 

Prices, then, have steadily risen, though not by so much as to make this flagship range utterly unaffordable. It's going to be interesting to see what happens next and whether Sony sticks to this price range or if the trajectory will tend towards even further upwards. If it does, Sony will have to make sure the quality and features the next buds offer match up to the price point.

It's also worth keeping in mind how much Sony's rivals in this premium earbuds category cost, too. The Apple AirPods Pro 2 retailed at a similarly hefty £249 / $249 / AU$399, yet those buds crucially didn't increase their price from the original AirPods Pro model. Bose, meanwhile, launched the QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds at £300 / $299 / AU$450, making them the priciest of our favourite premium pairs.