Sony just confirmed possible WH-1000XM6 launch date — here's when the ANC headphones will be unveiled

Sony is planning to unveil the WH-1000XM6 headphones to the world in a matter of days, according to a teaser image the company posted in Australia.

As spotted by Android Authority, the Japanese company has confirmed it will reveal the headphones during a livestream next week on Thursday, May 15. Next week looks to be a good week for tech reveals; Samsung is also going to show off its S25 Edge smartphone on Monday, May 12.

Fans have been waiting a little longer for Sony’s cans than Samsung’s new phone. The WH-1000XM6s have been in development for the last three years and are sure to be one of the best noise cancelling headphones you can buy when they go on sale. We’re huge fans of the WH-1000XM5 headphones here at Tom’s Guide and rate them ahead of the Bose QuietComfort Ultra or the Apple AirPods Max when it comes to the best headphones overall.

The Instagram post seen by Android Authority shows the outline of a pair of headphones alongside the May 15 date and the time: 2am AEST — which translates to 12pm EST/ 9am PST/5pm BST on May 13.

While Sony stops short of actually name-checking the XM6s in the post — we get #ForTheMusic instead — it’s not hard to surmise what’s being announced. Earlier this week the specs for the headphones also leaked in full ahead of the announcement.

An Amazon listing in Spain was spotted on Reddit, confirming the headphones will launch with an upgraded noise-cancelling processor called the QN3 HD. This is believed to be seven times faster than the QN1 chip in the XM5s. In practice, it’ll translate to better noise cancelling and improved sound quality.

The upgrade should result in better noise cancelling and perhaps sound quality. It also looks like it has an AI-powered six-microphone beamforming system for calls, and still comes with a headphone jack.

can’t come soon enough for anyone looking to pick up what’s sure to be one of the best headphones you can buy.

There’s been nothing official from Sony, of course, but a fresh leak seems to confirm the imminent arrival of the over-ear WH-1000XM6 headphones.

According to an update from The Walkman Blog, Sony has been granted Apple’s Made for iPhone/iPad certification for a pair of headphones with the model number YY2984. This model number has previously been linked with the WH-1000XM6s and could mean we’re getting close to a reveal.

Apple will typically publish MiFi certifications shortly before a device’s release and prior rumors have suggested a reveal window of May, even if the actual launch occurs later this year.

Even if we don’t get any more word from Sony, we may start to see more leaks appear in the coming weeks as the headphones get closer to primetime.

Rumored specs

(Image credit: FCC/The Walkman Blog)

The team over at The Walkman Blog has already divined a lot of what to expect from the rumored XM6s from an earlier FCC filing relating to the headphones. It’s expected they’ll boast detachable earcups, a 3.8V battery rating with fast charge ability. While the rating is the same as the WH-1000XM5s, the blog points out that this doesn’t mean the capacity will be. For example, the XM5s jumped from the 1,100mAh of the XM4s up to 1,200mAh capacity, so there’s still hope for a better battery performance.

Digging into the illustration that accompanies the filing (above), The Walkman Blog suggests we could be looking at the same 30mm drivers behind a slight redesign of those aforementioned detachable earcups — as well as possibly a slightly altered hinge.

Keeping with the rumored specs for a moment, the report says we’ll see a Mediatek SoC powering the headphones with Bluetooth 5.3 support and a bump in antenna gain from the current 1.6 dBi up to 2.91 dBi. So far, so good.

It’s not an understatement to say the audio team here at Tom’s Guide are rubbing our hands in anticipation for the XM6 headphones.

Sony’s current WH-1000XM5s are getting a little long in the tooth, but are still one of our top recommendations for anyone looking for a great pair of noise-cancelling headphones that balance price, performance, and battery life.

So you can bet we’re already getting our test track playlist in order ready for when Sony finally decides to reveal its next pair.