Sony isn’t finished with the WH-1000XM4 just yet, it seems. A new leak from Billbil-kun points to an upcoming Sony WH-1000XM4C, a cheaper spin on one of the company’s most popular noise-canceling headphones.
Word is it’s landing in early September, priced at €249.99 in Europe and £219.99 in the UK, well below what the flagship WH-1000XM6 costs.
Sony WH-1000XM4C Price
The bigger surprise here isn’t the name, it’s the design. While the newer XM5 ditched the foldable hinge entirely, the leaked WH-1000XM4C reportedly keeps the original XM4’s compact, foldable shape. That’s likely welcome news for anyone who preferred the older build, especially since Sony only brought folding hinges back with last year’s XM6.
Color options are expected to include Black, Silver, and Lavender, and the headphones look set to carry over most of what made the XM4 so popular in the first place.
Based on the leak, you can expect active noise cancellation powered by Sony’s QN1 processor, Hi-Res Audio support, Spatial Audio, and the same touch-sensitive earcup controls for playback and volume that people got used to on the original.
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Battery life looks like the one area where Sony trimmed things down. The original WH-1000XM4 offered up to 38 hours of playback with ANC off, or 30 hours with it on. The WH-1000XM4C is expected to land at 34 hours without ANC and 27 hours with it enabled. Beyond that dip, though, most of what made the original formula work seems to be sticking around.
Sony Positions on Sony WH-1000XM4C
This positioning actually makes sense when you look at where Sony’s headphone lineup has been heading. Prices have crept steadily upward over the years, and the WH-1000XM6 launched noticeably more expensive than the generations before it.
A WH-1000XM4C could fill that gap nicely, giving buyers Sony’s flagship-level noise cancellation and audio quality without the flagship price tag.
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Sony hasn’t confirmed any of this officially yet, so treat the pricing and release window as a rumor for now. Still, the strategy being described here is worth paying attention to. Instead of replacing the XM6, the WH-1000XM4C seems to be bringing back one of Sony’s most popular headphone designs at a friendlier price.
If the leak turns out accurate, this could become the sweet spot in Sony’s lineup for anyone who cares more about value and portability than owning the newest thing Sony makes.
