Sony Linkbuds leak reveals bizarre design of future wireless earbuds

This is unlikely to replace the WF-1000XM4, though.

what you need to know

• A pair of odd-looking Sony earbuds, dubbed the WF-L900, have leaked.
• The earbuds appear to have replaced the silicone earbuds with annular grommets.
• There are also no visible buttons, so the body will likely support touch controls.

Sony’s next pair of earbuds could have an odd design, and a new leak could come through.polite Technology Insider Blog (via TheWalkmanBlog) We now probably have the best look at an upcoming set of new true wireless earbuds called the Sony WF-L900 or Linkbuds.

Leaks suggest that the Linkbuds will still have a round body like Sony’s best wireless earbuds, the WF-1000XM4. What sets it apart from any other earbud model is its donut-shaped ring that presumably holds the Linkbuds at the top of the ear canal.

There are apparently no earbuds, which are said to be replaced by rings. Still, the earbuds are said to feature active noise cancellation, as indicated by the presence of feedback and feed-forward microphones. That said, it’s unclear how it would work without the silicone tip.

Sony has also reportedly designed Linkbuds without physical buttons. That means the earbuds may have touch-sensitive bodies that support gesture controls.

Given the leaked details, the WF-L900 doesn’t look like the flagship headset that will replace the WF-1000XM4. Instead, it could be a cheaper model, although we still don’t know how much it will cost.

The earbuds are also said to include proximity sensors that detect when the earpieces are removed. Leaked images suggest that the Linkbuds will be available in two colors: white and black.

It’s not the first time the WF-L900 has been leaked. Thanks to TheWalkmanBlog, some images of the earbuds first surfaced last month, but they were poor quality.

Sony WF-1000XM4

$248 at Amazon $250 at Best Buy

Sony has improved what was already a great product with the WF-1000XM4, which offers the best Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) performance of any pair of wireless earbuds, and a great combination of functionality and performance.