Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones could be on their way, and may have fixed last-gen's biggest problem

Sony's next flagship ANC headphones have reportedly appeared in a regulatory filing found online, and that could be good news for Sony fans who aren't too happy with their existing WH-1000XM5 pair.

In addition to the usual spec boosts, the expected Sony WH-1000XM6 wireless over-ears seem to have a redesigned hinge section.

In our Sony WH-1000XM5 review, we rated the headphones very highly, giving them the full five stars. We haven't encountered any issues with the hinge ourselves, but have had emails from unhappy owners whose headphones have broken – the problem is also visible on headphone subreddits.

According to The Walkman Blog, which found the FCC filing images, the new hinge appears to be different to the one in the XM5. Whether that makes it stronger, we're yet to see.

Sony WH-1000XM6: new features and specifications

Regulatory filings don't tend to reveal audio or ANC features, but they do provide some basic information and a hint about release timings. They're largely confidential but only for a fixed time, and products are often revealed officially on or before the end of the set period. The confidentiality of this filing ends in July 2025.

The filings detail that the WH-1000MX6 headphones will have Bluetooth 5.3 and Bluetooth LE. However, it doesn’t detail whether that means LE Audio or just low energy connectivity.

As the dedicated blog points out, in past years you'd be able to get more detail from the Bluetooth website but it no longer shows model information.

The battery appears to be the same as in the current WH-1000XM5, and the Bluetooth testing software is the same as before. That indicates another MediaTek processor will power the headphones.

It'll be interesting to see – and hear – what the new Sony over-ears bring to the table, because for all their five stars, the WH-1000XM5 didn't make it to the top of our best headphones guide. Our current pick is their direct rivals, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra.