This could be some of the most enticing news of the year... and we're only a few days into January! The Sony WF-C700N are some of the best-value wireless earbuds we've tested in the last few years, so the idea of a sequel has been on our minds ever since we tested them in early 2023. If a recent leak spotted by thewalkmanblog is anything to go by, that follow-up might be just around the corner.
According to thewalkmanblog's post, the new buds – currently named the 'Sony YY2986' – look similar to the established WF-C700N Award-winners, with a body and stem configuration comprising of a main earbud unit and a detachable silicone tip. What the leaked images do seem to indicate, however, is that the exterior surface of the buds has been flattened and, unlike the C700N, there's no physical button, meaning those exterior surfaces could be touch capacitive.
The case, meanwhile, doesn't seem to be a huge departure from the design found with the C700N, although it seems to have been extended out with a more oblong shape. The front of the case sports a notification LED, while the back houses a standard pairing button and a USB-C charging port.
The teased earbuds will likely use the same power cell as found in the C700N and more affordable WF-C510 sets. The walkmanblog predicts that, as the charging case battery is the same as the one found in the flagship WF-1000XM5, the Sony YY2986 could have up to 24 hours of battery life with the case – that beats the C700N's 15 hours by a considerable margin. The IP rating is currently unknown, though we'd like to see an improvement on the C700N's modest IPX4 certification.
We don't currently have any information on Bluetooth codec support. Standard SBC and AAC will almost certainly be supported, but we're hoping that Sony will extend access to LDAC or even LC3. There's also no indication of the mic array contained within the buds or whether any upgrades have been made to the noise-cancelling performance of the new earbuds, however.
What else could the upcoming Sony YY2986 offer? We saw the recent LinkBuds Fit go big on features, though at their more substantial price of £179 / $179 / AU$348, that might be expected. Noise cancelling, Adaptive Sound Control and Bluetooth Multipoint, plus Sony's patented Digital Sound Enhancement Engine will likely be included with the YY2986, but could the Japanese brand push the boat out with spatial audio support such as 360 Reality Audio?
According to the leaked images, the YY2986 are set to be available in four colourways: white, black, pink and a shiny black finish, alongside a transparent charging case. We'd echo thewalkmanblog's sentiments that the new buds will, as the WF-C510 did when replacing the WF-C500, follow the same naming formula and become the Sony WF-C710N and debut at a mid-to-budget price of around £100 / $120 / AU$200. Those figures aren't set in stone, but we'll keep you updated as soon as we have any new information on the future Sony hopefuls.
MORE:
Read our original Sony WF-C700N review
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