The rumored European price of the super-premium Sony WF-1000XM5 earbuds is... not great
If you live somewhere on the old continent and were planning on buying quite possibly the most highly anticipated foldable phone alongside some of the most exciting new true wireless earbuds of 2023 this summer, we're afraid we have even more bad news for you today.
Much like Samsung's next-gen Galaxy Z Flip 5 (and a bunch of other high-end and high-profile tech products released this year), it appears that the starting price of the undoubtedly impending Sony WF-1000XM5 buds will be higher than that of its preceding device.
That's at least true for European markets and at least according to Twitter tipster and German journalist Roland Quandt, who just so happens to be very frequently right about precisely this type of stuff. Quandt claims Sony "wants 319,99 Euros for the new WF-1000XM5s", and beyond the simple revelation of that number, the present tense use is also pretty interesting, strongly suggesting an imminent commercial debut.
Sony's next big AirPods Pro 2 alternative and top contender for the title of best wireless earbuds this year has already leaked in all its glory, exposing a revised design compared to the incredibly well-reviewed WF-1000XM4. While we seem to be looking at sleeker, shinier, and lighter high-end buds than ever here, it remains to be seen if things like audio quality and noise cancelling technology will also get upgraded to a large enough degree to justify a €40 price hike.
Yes, the recommended price point of 2021's Sony WF-1000XM4 was set at €279.99 in most major European markets, which means the audio industry veteran is cooking up an increase of around 15 percent... if Roland Quandt is to be believed (once again).
Because the WF-1000XM4 used to cost $279.99 at launch stateside, we're fairly certain this new leak means the US retail price of the WF-1000XM5 will stand at $319.99, surpassing, for instance, the extravagant $299 Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II in addition to the aforementioned Apple AirPods Pro 2, as well as Samsung's premium Galaxy Buds 2 Pro. Tough sell for Sony? We should probably wait for a detailed official announcement and in-depth reviews before attempting to answer that question with any degree of objectivity.
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