Sony rolls out big software upgrade for its flagship wireless headphones and earbuds

[zohaibahd]

What just happened? Sony's top wireless headphones and earbuds, the WH-1000XM5 and WF-1000XM5, are considered among the best in the business. With great active noise cancellation, top-notch sound quality, and looks, these devices have earned their reputation. But the company isn't resting on its laurels and has just rolled out a meaty firmware update packing some extremely useful capabilities.

The headline features coming to the WH-1000XM5 headphones, WF-1000XM5 earbuds, and LinkBuds S are Google's Find My Device and Fast Pair technologies alongside Auto Switch functionality. To sweeten the pot, Sony has revamped its audio app with a fresh coat of paint and a new moniker: "Sound Connect."

So, what exactly do these new features bring to the table? Well, Find My Device is a blessing for those who frequently misplace their devices, especially the hard-to-find earbuds. Fire up the app and you'll get the option to emit a beeping sound from the lost earbuds to help you locate them. The caveat is that this only works when the earbuds are connected to your phone via Bluetooth, meaning the case must remain open.

Sony is rolling out updates to its WF-1000XM5 earbuds & WH-1000XM5 headphones that add support for Google's Find My Device network and 'Auto Switch'.

The update for the Buds also adds Fast Pair support over Bluetooth LE Audio.

H/T Alexandria on Telegram, /u/lololololol1990 pic.twitter.com/fS7HH3CVWV

– Mishaal Rahman (@MishaalRahman) October 3, 2024

The Auto Switch feature is pretty slick, too. It allows you to seamlessly swap audio playback between enabled Sony devices simply by turning one off. You could be jamming on your headphones, and then switch to your earbuds just by powering down the headphones.

As for the Fast Pair feature, it makes pairing Bluetooth audio gear to your Android phone a breeze compared to the old-fashioned way of navigating through the Settings app. On supported devices, you'll see a new pop-up for quick connection as soon as your Sony device comes in close proximity for the first time.

Sony has also given its audio companion app a facelift to align with Google's Material Design 3. The yellow headphone icon is gone, replaced by something that can be passed off as looking more modern. The app's interface has been streamlined, with reconfigured bottom tabs for "My Device," "Discover," and "Menu."

The updates are rolling out now to supported Sony wireless audio products running the latest firmware versions.

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Sony rolls out big software upgrade for its flagship wireless headphones and earbuds

 

[SirDigby]

I've gotta say the noise cancelling on the WH-1000XM5 is overstated, its fine but it's not top of the range. A lot of people say the M4 has better noise cancelling, partly because the ear cups fit more snuggly over the ears for less leakage. Audio quality for the microphone is also pretty bad, my wife is always complaining she can't hear me when using them on a phone call - the buds might be better, I use Samsung Buds Pro and they're much better for phone calls.

 

[zamroni111]

Sony and Bose need to enable USB audio input just like sennheiser and Bowers

 

[passingposeidon]

As good as these features are, they really pale in comparison to the usability of the Apple headphones, with apple phones. if you are using an iPhone, you basically HAVE to use Apple's stuff in order to get the best features. I actually wouldn't be surprise if it became the target of an anti-competition lawsuit somewhere. Airpods just integrate so seamlessly and so easily with your phone/ipad/laptop, swapping between them in seconds, and having great menus within the OS (no app required). If I was on Android, maybe I'd go with Sony but ....

 

[whateversa]

I have the previous model and the trackpad thing is terrible... it rarely does what I intend it to do. The older and cheaper Plantronics backbeat pro 2 was superior in controls (buttons that you could feel).

 

[Puiu]

I went for the Sennheiser Momentum 4 because of how good they sound (music) and great battery life. I don't care about the "best ANC", it just needs to be good enough. Listening to music is what I'll use them most of the time.

 

[RaXelliX]

I really hate the new app icon. Looks like something a 3 year old toddler came up before a nap.
Not a multi billion dollar corporation with dedicated designers on their payroll.
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