Sony LinkBuds S: Design of upcoming earbuds leaks bearing more than a passing resemblance to the WF-1000XM4 ^↺

The Sony LinkBuds may only be a few months old, but @_snoopytech_ has leaked a second model. For context, the LinkBuds arrived with an unusual design that effectively made them open-back earbuds. Understandably, the design is not for everybody, although they are a more experimental alternative to the WF-1000XM4, Sony's flagship consumer earbuds.

Based on @_snoopytech_, the next pair of LinkBuds will be a more conventional pair of earbuds. In fact, the LinkBuds S WF-LSN900 are the spitting image of the WF-1000XM4. Accordingly, the LinkBuds S should sit close to your ear, albeit not as snugly as the inaugural LinkBuds do. Additionally, the LinkBuds S have silicone ear tips and will be available in two colours, mirroring the WF-1000XM4.

Likewise, Sony has included a sensor for detecting if you are wearing the LinkBuds S, presumably to control audio playback. The absence of physical buttons suggests that the LinkBuds S supports gesture controls too. Incidentally, @_snoopytech_ adds that the earbuds will 'seamlessly shift' from piping in ambient sound to advanced noise-cancelling, which the WF-1000XM4 already supports. Details about pricing and availability remain unknown at this stage. However, we would expect Sony to price the LinkBuds S at significantly less than the WF-1000XM4, given that they are not a flagship WF-1000X product.

Purchase the Sony WF-1000XM4 on Amazon