Sony WH-1000XM4 could launch just in time to take on AirPods Studio

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Sony's new flagship headphones could be just days away

Sony WH-1000XM4 could launch just in time to take on AirPods Studio
(Image credit: Regan Coule/Tom's Guide)

Rumors around the hotly anticipated Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones have been flying fast, and it looks like the new flagship cans could just be days away from launching. 

As spotted in a now-deleted Dell listing found by The Walkman Blog, the Sony WH-1000X4 are slated to launch on June 23rd with a price tag of $499 CAD (which equates to roughly $369 US dollars). That seems largely in line with the Sony WH-1000XM3's $349 MSRP, though it looks like the cans could be getting a small price bump.

And that potentially higher price could be justified by some of the WH-1000XM4's key upgrades. The new headphones are expected to sport a 'Smart Talking' feature that will automatically let in ambient noise when someone's voice is detected, which could make it easy to have a conversation while you're rocking the cans. Similarly, the cans may be able to automatically adjust their ambient noise settings based on your location, such as when you're in a busy street or quiet coffee shop.

Other expected features include DSEE Extreme for high-end upscaling and the ability to pair to two different devices and seamlessly switch between the two at will. Combine that with the XM3's already excellent audio quality, superb noise cancelling and long 30-hour battery, and the WH-1000XM4 could very well dethrone the Bose 700 for the title of best headphones.

But it'll have some competition on its way there. Apple is rumored to launch its AirPods Studio headphones as soon as June 22 at WWDC. These cans are expected to cost a similar $350, and could sport advanced features such as head and neck detection for automatically pausing playback as well as a custom EQ for tailoring your sound exactly how you like it.

With two headphone titans potentially launching this month, now seems like a better time than ever for those ready to upgrade their portable audio setup. We should know more about both the WH-1000XM4 and AirPods Studio in just a few weeks, so stay tuned for more news.

Michael Andronico
Michael Andronico

Mike Andronico is Senior Writer at CNNUnderscored. He was formerly Managing Editor at Tom's Guide, where he wrote extensively on gaming, as well as running the show on the news front. When not at work, you can usually catch him playing Street Fighter, devouring Twitch streams and trying to convince people that Hawkeye is the best Avenger.