OPINION: It’s the time of the year where we reminisce on the months that flew past and look forward to what’s to come, and as one of the world’s biggest brands, Sony is a company to keep an eye on given its influence within the tech world.
Sony played a trick on us in 2024 as products we thought were coming didn’t appear, but we not going to let that stop us this year. While everything below is speculation, we feel confident given what we’ve seen in 2024 that these products will (finally) appear in 2025.
Here is what I’m expecting from Sony in 2025.
A new QD OLED TV
Sony revamped its TV naming convention (an overdue change, in my opinion). While for 2024 I correctly predicted a focus on Mini LED TVs with the launch of the Bravia 9, for 2025 I’m expecting a new QD OLED. I also reckon this QD OLED will be called the Bravia 10, considering previous models were labelled the A95K and A95L (a Bravia 9.5 would be odd).
My guess is that it will feature Samsung’s fourth-gen QD OLED panel (which should be pushing 2000+ nits in terms of brightness).
On my wishlist for Sony’s next QD OLED is improved black levels and a more convenient feet design. Sony seems reluctant to use a pedestal stand even though it’s the simplest method of keeping a TV upright.
New WH-1000XM6 headphones
I was certain that the WH-1000XM6 were going to arrive in 2024 since the over-ears always launch on a two-year cycle. Obviously that was wrong.
What we have heard is that Sony will launch the WH-1000XM6 and WF-1000XM6 at the same time, which makes sense given Sony sees the headphones as a family with shared features and design aesthetic. The question is what could one expect from these headphones? As always, Sony’s recent headphones may provide clues.
I expect the WF-1000XM6 true wireless to be (slightly) smaller and lighter. A complaint about the WF-1000XM5 (and the WF-1000XM4) was that they don’t always feel secure. The most recent LinkBuds have Air Fitting supporters, could the next true wireless feature that too?
Similarly, will the WH-1000XM6 over-ears return to a collapsible design? I don’t think so, but Bose did change the design of its headphones and that didn’t seem to affect the noise-cancelling one bit. In fact noise-cancelling for both headphones needs improving if Sony wants to remain in reach with Bose. I also guess that Sony may up the battery life to 40 hours or more, though Sony is not a company to be caught up in spec wars.
I also wonder whether Sony has looked at the Sonos Ace headphones and thought about implementing its own version of the TrueCinema feature with its soundbars. With its 360 Reality Audio support, it’s practically there, but the Wi-Fi support is missing.
Lastly, I wonder whether Sony might introduce instant-switch audio for its soundbars, headphones and wireless speakers. It was a surprise feature of the new LinkBuds headphones and speaker after all.
New wireless speakers
Things have been uncharacteristically quiet on the ground regarding Sony’s more traditional wireless speakers. The company did come out with the Ult Wear series, but to quote Meghan Trainor, that was all about the bass. Its line-up of wireless speakers hasn’t been refreshed in a couple years and my bet is on new speakers, and like with its TVs, soundbars and projectors; a simpler naming convention too.
New Walkmans
I haven’t quite understood Sony’s policy with its Walkman portable players. The last one I tested was solid but felt as it it was trying too much to be like a smartphone. It’s been years since the line-up was refreshed, and I’d argue that the Walkman brand is falling behind the likes of Astell&Kern and FiiO.
Plus, with the rise in popularity of wired headphones, there’s still a market for a proper portable audio player.
