Sony WF-1000XM6 (YY2985) Certified

We finally have a certification for the Sony WF-1000XM6 (YY2985). We first got our hint of the new WF-1000XM6 back in May, when the model was discovered in Sony's own Headphone app code. A lot of users have been waiting for this, but a release is still be a few months away.

 

The certification is from China and is dated September 12, 2025. This the first certification I have found, which is a good sign, because it means Sony has begun submitting the model for certification. We should see subsequent certifications soon.

 

So when could we see an announcement? Well, we can use the WF-1000XM5 for comparison. The WF-1000XM5 was certified in China on February 3 2023, and the FCC filing appeared 19 days later on February 22 2023.

 

Funny enough, the WH-1000XM6 was also certified in China 19 days before its FCC filing. This may be a coincidence, as the WF-C710N only had a 7 day difference, and the WF-C510 was first certified on the FCC, and 44 days later in China.

 

So if we use the WF-1000XM5 certification date in China to announcement as a guide (173 days), a potential announcement date for the WF-1000XM6 would be early March 2026. Of course this is just a guide and by no means the actual announcement date. Once we get the FCC filing, we should have a better indication when a release could take place.

 

I will add this part here, because of the various emails and messages from users. The model could appear on the FCC next week, with a short term confidentiality way into 2026, say February or March. But the actual time for the announcement could still be before the holidays. Remember my previous post, Sony was already working on the model since March, and Sony could launch it still this year if they wanted to. Missing the holiday season would be a mistake, but Sony's financial year ends in March, so even if the model comes out later in 2026, it would be part of this year's earnings. 

  

I do have a theory I have been sitting on for a while. Recall my post about a new trademark from Sony, "1000X THE COLLEXION". Could this new collection be a new 1000X lineup like Sony used to have? And by lineup I mean, WH, WF and WI models, with the announcement taking place at CES 2026?

 

For those who remember CES 2017, Sony revealed 2 new wireless audio prototypes, the future WI-1000X and WF-1000X at the show.

 

Sony CES 2017

Sony WI-1000X and WF-1000X

Both of these models were released later that year at IFA 2017. Next year will mark 10 years of the 1000X line, which started in 2016 with the MDR-1000X at IFA 2016. It makes sense for Sony to mark 10 years of the 1000X line but will they do it in January at CES, or wait until later in the year? Hmm.

 

But what about a new WI-Series, would Sony actually release a new WI-1000X model? It seems like Sony has abandoned this line completely. I have my doubts, so perhaps the new 1000X collection will comprise of the WH-1000XM6, WF-1000XM6, and a new additional model? There was a new black and silver model in import filings, YY2998, so this could this model be part of the 1000X collection? 

 

If not, then maybe we will only have the WH-1000XM6 and WF-1000XM6 as members of this new collection. Whatever Sony decides, I do suspect the "1000X THE COLLEXION" trademark is related to a 10 year anniversary of the 1000X line.

 

Could we see a WF-1000XM6 announcement at CES 2026 in connection to Sony marking 10 years of the 1000X line? So what are people's thoughts? Drop them in the comments.

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