This is not an April Fool’s joke. On April 1, Sony announced two new true wireless products — a set of headphones and a pair of earbuds.
The $199 WH-CH710N headphones and the $129 WF-XB700 earbuds have been added to Sony’s lineup of wireless listening devices, with both set to be available for presale this month. The WH-CH710N will be available in black, and the WF-XB700 will come in both black and blue.
The WF-XB700, the less expensive of the two new models, will feature Sony’s Extra Bass technology, which according to a Sony press release will “create precise, punchy rhythms that lift every track and maintain vocal clarity.” The buds offer up to 18 hours of listening with the included charging case, and a quick-charging feature provides an hour of playback after 10 minutes of charging.
The WF-XB700 will carry an IPX4 rating for water-resistance, giving them protection against splashes and sweat. In other words, these should come in handy at the gym.
Sony’s new headphones will come with Artificial Intelligence Noise Cancellation. Sony says this feature will “constantly analyze environmental ambient sound components” and select the best noise-canceling mode for the surroundings you’re in. The headphones will have dual microphones, one feeding forward and another feeding back, in order to catch more ambient sounds.
Sony is boasting 35 hours of audio on a single charge with the WH-CH710N, and the same quick-charging feature as the WF-XB700. The headphones will also feature Near Field Communication (NFC), a one-touch method to start streaming music. They’ve also got an adjustable metal slider to ensure the right fit for all applications.
Many of us are looking forward to the next editions of Sony’s WH-1000XM3 and WF-1000XM3, but for now, it looks like we will have to wait. In the meantime, Sony is giving us a couple of pairs of more budget-friendly options.
According to Sony’s specs, they still seem to have some pretty solid features. We’ll have to wait until we can interact with these new products, but at first glance, the WH-C710N and WF-XB700 could be affordable alternatives to Sony’s top-tier listening devices.
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