Sony unveils the Linkbuds (WF-L900)

Press Release

Sony Introduces LinkBuds, a new frontier for headphones

• Sony’s unique ring design with audio transparency links online and offline worlds for a “Never Off” wearing experience.
• LinkBuds feature a compact and comfortable design so you never have to switch off.
• Enjoy clearer calls and conversations, and authentic, natural sound, all while you tune in to the world around you.
  

Sony introduces a new way to enjoy your favourite music and the important moments in life, all at once, with the brand-new truly wireless LinkBuds. You can stay connected and aware at all times, with the help of an open ring design with audio transparency, ultra-small super fit and crystal-clear sound and call quality.

By leveraging LinkBuds’ unique design and its sensor and spatial sound technologies, Sony is creating new sound experiences together with their partners, such as AR gaming, new work from home experiences, sound AR navigation, and quick access to music.

All your worlds, always connected

LinkBuds have been created with a unique open ring design and allow you to tune into the outside world whenever you want, without compromising your listening experience. The newly-developed ring driver unit, has the centre of the diaphragm open for audio transparency, allowing you to clearly hear the sounds around, so you’ll always know when someone calls your name whilst on a call or easily chat with friends while listening to your favourite songs. Their new design makes LinkBuds the perfect companion for a range of uses, including working from home, gaming, listening to music, and more.

You’ll never have to switch off, thanks to LinkBuds’ new, super small, ergonomic design. Approximately four grams in weight, these earbuds are a marvel of miniaturisation. Unlike conventional earbuds, the protective surface covering the speaker diaphragm is integrated within the housing, saving space. The overall shape has been crafted with the use of extensive ear shape data, collated since Sony introduced the world’s first in-ear headphones in 1982. You’ll barely notice you’re wearing them, making them the perfect companion all day, every day.

Crystal-clear sound

You can make calls without noise, for crystal clear conversations. LinkBuds’ include precise voice pickup technology that performs advanced voice signal processing. Sony’s noise reduction algorithm was developed using AI machine learning, using more than 500 million voice samples to suppress ambient noise and extract your voice clearly. LinkBuds let you hear people, when you need to, even when you’re in noisy situations.

Linkbuds allow you to enjoy high quality sound, no matter how busy life gets. Thanks to DSEE (Digital Sound Enhancement Engine) your personal soundtrack will be restored to high quality. Sony’s Integrated Processor V1 reproduces all the detail in your music with minimal distortion, for a stunningly authentic listening experience, so your favourite artists always sound great. A specially designed 12mm ring driver provides rich, well-balanced sound.

Adaptive Volume Control automatically optimises volume based on where you are, letting your music seamlessly blend into your environment. This allows you to listen to your favourite tracks at a comfortable volume and in a variety of environments, to enhance the open-air listening experience.

Making your everyday easier

Sony is making it easier than ever before to integrate your personal soundtrack into the world around you, all while staying connected with a variety of smart features.

Don’t be fooled by their size, LinkBuds are super easy to use but with advanced features. With Wide Area Tap all control is at your fingertips. By double or triple tapping in front of either of your ears, you can adjust playback to your liking – there’s no need to touch the LinkBuds themselves.

LinkBuds are there to help no matter where you are and even when your hands are full. With Speak-to-Chat you can automatically pause your music as soon as you speak to someone. Once your conversation is over, your music starts playing automatically, so there’s no need to touch any controls. LinkBuds also come with hands-free help so you can get information, connect with friends, set reminders, and more by activating your preferred voice assistant.  Just say “OK Google” or “Alexa”.

Easy Bluetooth Pairing with Fast & Swift Pair 

LinkBuds support Google’s helpful new Fast Pair feature, allowing you to effortlessly pair with your Android devices. You can also locate where you last left your earphones. Swift Pair makes it quick and easy to pair your LinkBuds to your Windows 11 or Windows 10 laptop, desktop PC or tablet.

For the first time ever, you can take the earbuds out of their case and a pop-up will appear automatically. So no matter where you are, you can easily get connected.

Quick access to your favourite music

With Quick access, you can configure LinkBuds to resume Spotify playback with just a couple of taps – no need to touch your smartphone.

Empowers richer experience to explore surroundings with Microsoft Soundscape

LinkBuds provide enhanced capabilities integrated with Microsoft Soundscape. Their open-ear shape enables users to hear audio beacons and callouts of buildings or intersections, with the natural sound of surroundings. Compass/gyro sensors inside the earphones can detect the direction of your head and allow you to hear the sound from a destination, without holding your smartphone.

Sustainability matters to Sony

Sony has not only designed LinkBuds to be stylish, but also with the environment in mind. These unique earbuds and their charging case are made using recycled plastic materials and plastic-free packaging.

Your everyday earbuds

LinkBuds are perfect for your everyday. Thanks to IPX4 water resistance, splashes and sweat won’t get in the way of you and your favourite tracks.  You can also enjoy a full working day of charge – 5.5 hours – from the earbuds and store an additional 12 hours in the sleek and compact case. Even when life moves fast and you’re in a hurry, just a 10 minute charge gives you up to 90 minutes of play time.

Immerse yourself in sound all around

LinkBuds also come with 360 Reality Audio.With 360 Reality Audio, music can feel as real as if you were front row at a live concert or at the recording studio alongside your favourite artist.

LinkBuds will be available in Gray and White from February 2022 and priced at approximately €180 / £150.

End of Press release

For more photos, please see this post and this post.

So here we are, the new LinkBuds from Sony. While these still carry a WF-L900 model number, looks like Sony has moved to a new naming strategy with this model. This should have been done LONG ago. But will this include the new WH-1000XM5 as well? I feel not.

So some interesting things from the press release, the Headset will be supported by the Headphone app, the headset may not operate correctly when "coughing or when attaching/detaching accessories around the ears", and one will need to turn the " wide area tap" function to off.

In certain scenarios, vibrations from electric toothbrushes, electric massagers and electric shavers, and activities such as brushing teeth, coughing or humming, may start up the "Speak-to-Chat" function.

There is support for Siri, Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant in the specifications.

Finally the presence of the V1 reveals we are looking at a Mediatek MT2822 powered device. Really looking forward to a teardown, especially of the case, since I wonder if wireless charging would have fit inside the case. These will be out soon, no doubt major tech sites already have them for review. I do not think I will be picking these up, would love to but strapped for cash for the moment. Below are the specifications from Sony. Click on the photos for larger view.